Drowned Kitten
by WolftheForsaken
Summary: Kaname buys Zero for a night, or two, or three.
1. Chapter 1

#

Zero Kiryuu was hunched against a rough wall, dressed in jeans that were so tight they were about to cut off his circulation, and a grey shirt that used to be lilac, so thin he might as well not have bothered with it at all.

He was also bitterly regretting his life choices and life in general as he smoked through his last cigarette.

The other boys that 'shared' his corner had given up over an hour ago, gone inside to warm up and shoot up.

Not many drugs worked on vampires, but 'D's were an exception. Just above human-standard enough to need double or triple the standard dose, and just below a real vampire that they worked at all.

Fuck Zero wished he could join them.

Not the drugs, he hadn't quite reach that level, but going inside felt like a privilege right now, even if it was a grim squat or one of the other's shabby apartments. It would be better and standing on this corner and freezing to death.

Prostitution as a vampire made for awkward timings. Being nocturnal meant that really he ought to be standing on this corner in the middle of the day – much warmer too- to catch his …clientele as they finished work, but Hunters visited in the day, making a nuisance of themselves and Zero didn't want them to see him.

That was just taking humiliation to a whole other level.

He used to be one of them. Now they could buy him. No way. No way in hell. Zero would give in to his sleazy landlord first and let Mashiro put his greasy paws and fangs all over him before he let the Hunters know how far he'd fallen, so that left the night. Hunters didn't come into vampire territory at night. They weren't that stupid.

It started to rain.

Fuck fuck fuck. Zero cursed as he tossed his the butt of his cigarette away, the last echo of warmth going with it. He _knew_ he should have brought his jacket and fuck the rent. Yeah he got more attention in just a shirt, but it was cold. Pretty Woman hadn't prepared him for the cold. And the boredom. No one told you how boring street prostitution got.

It was enough to make him wish for a fight.

The Hunters might have taken the Bloody Rose – not that they'd yet found a replacement Hunter who the Rose would accept – but they hadn't taken his skills. He could defend himself and his corner far more easily than the other abandoned D's could. He hadn't had any trouble since the last time someone had tried to become his pimp and Zero had made an example.

He shivered, the rain plastering his shirt to his skin and soaking his jeans making him scowl. He didn't own a dryer and he couldn't afford to have the radiators on. They were going to take _ages_ to dry and he only had one other pair.

Then again, if he didn't find a customer – and he still called them that despite the new and colourful vocabulary he'd picked up – he wouldn't own a fucking radiator to dry them on.

Fucking Mashiro and his fucking obsession with his arse.

Zero scowled again, folded his arms across his chest and tried to prop himself attractively against the wall despite the rain. Thirty minutes then, thirty minutes to an hour and he was going for his jacket and fuck the rent. At least he didn't get sick as easily as a human anymore.

He saw the car – a sleek black thing that reeked of money – about ten minutes after he thought he'd drown standing up. He shifted enough so that the intermittent streetlight would display him and hoped for the best. He probably looked like a drowned rat, but Zero had seen enough to know there were all kind of kinks out there. Maybe he'd catch a break.

The car slowed and Zero breathed a sigh of relief, squelching he strolled to the car, doing his best to walk seductively, leaning down as the window opened.

It was Kaname Kuran.

Zero cursed his life all over again. Fuck it, he should have just let Mashiro have him, anything was better than Kaname fucking Kuran seeing him like this. Then again, what was the prince of purebloods doing crawling the street?

"Didn't take you for the type," Zero blustered, thankful that he was far too cold to blush. Attack was the best form of defence anyway. He should have sensed Kuran's aura from miles away, but it was too late to run and hide.

"Zero," Kuran drawled giving Zero a once-over that made him twitch with irritation. And since when were they on first name basis. "You're looking…wet."

"Oh fuck off Kuran," Zero snapped. "If you're not buying, bugger off."

He'd thought that would embarrass the pureblood, but if anything Kuran looked amused. Fuck, Zero had always taken Kuran to be a prude. The level A gave him another once-over.

"How much?"

Zero choked on the rain.

"Are you fucking serious? I wouldn't touch you for anything, fucking leech. Go away before you scare someone else off. I've got rent to pay."

"Mmmm," Kuran didn't look the slightest bit offended, damn him. He just kept _looking._ Zero had been a hooker for months now; he made profit from those sort of looks. Even so, he felt like he needed a very long shower, and it had nothing to do with imminent frostbite.

"I think you will touch me, Zero. Five hundred for the night."

Zero hesitated. His pride wanted to say fuck off – but his head said otherwise. So what if Kuran wanted to spend a few hours humiliating him? Kuran was rich, bastard that he was and Zero needed the money. Kuran was offering well over market price and he knew it.

"What does a vampire mean by a night?" he asked to buy himself time to freak out.

Kuran raised an eyebrow. Zero resisted the urge to hit him. "Until I'm done with you."

Fuck it, Zero thought. He didn't have a choice.

"You serious?" he asked, if this was a joke, Zero was throwing a rock at his car.

"Yes," Kaname said, and the window rose. Presumptuous bastard. Zero walked around and got in the other side of the car, hating that he was proving Kuran right.

At least he could drip all over the bastard's posh car and ruin the seats.

#

"I thought purebloods had their own drivers," Zero asked when the silence got uncomfortable, for him at least. Kuran looked like picking up a whore was a daily occurrence. Maybe it was, Zero thought, it's not like he could claim to really know the other vampire. Several years of mutual distaste did not a relationship make.

Fuck he should _not_ have thought the word 'relationship.'

"I do, but I wouldn't let a C touch this car," Kuran said possessively. "It's one of my personal ones." Zero shifted, trying to drip over as much as the leather as possible. If it meant that much to Kuran, Zero was morally obliged to damage whatever was in reach.

Kuran smirked and turned the heaters on, the car warmed within seconds and Zero began to thaw out.

"Go ahead," Kuran said, navigating the roads with ease. "I've got three more just like it."

Zero folded his arms over his chest and stared out the window, cheeks hot. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

They drove in silence, houses outside slowly becoming bigger, and the streets wider as they entered better areas. Vampire areas that was. This town was almost entirely populated by leeches, which was why Zero had made his home here, such as it was. Better vampires than Hunters right now.

"Should I ask about the career change?" Kuran asked as they moved away from the streets altogether.

"I'd rather you didn't," Zero said, forcibly keeping his tone even. Kuran was a paying customer, and Zero didn't actually want him to kick him out, not until after he was paid. He tried changing the subject.

"Where are we going?"

"My house," Kuran replied easily. "I want to take you in my bed."

Zero shrugged. It didn't really matter. For what Kuran was paying, he could have him anywhere he liked. He wondered queasily how public this transaction was going to be.

"Don't you have staff and shit? Or your fan club? Are they going to be there?"

Zero could tolerate private humiliation, but if Kuran's club of vampire groupies were hanging about, if they'd see…eugh. He should have charged more.

Kuran rolled his eyes. "My Court doesn't hang around all day and night waiting on me you know. They all have work to do and have their own places to live."

"Staff?"

"Yes, but they're discreet. Besides, who's going to challenge me over buying a whore?"

Zero huffed. He wasn't worried; he just didn't want to be paraded about like a …whore. Fuck it.

"Why does a pureblood want a whore anyway? I thought you clicked your fingers and vampires bent over."

"Don't be ridiculous Zero," Kuran said lightly. "I'd never click my fingers at someone. That's just crass."

"My point still stands," Zero muttered discreetly trying to wring his shirt out all over the window controls on his side.

"Well you're right in that I don't need to pay for it, but you looked so fragile standing under that street light, Zero," Kuran's smirk said he was teasing and loving it, bastard. "Just like a drowned kitten. I'd feel cruel leaving you out there."

"I wish I'd shot you more at school."

"I wish I'd fucked you more at school."

Zero coughed, hating that he was warm enough to blush. He was fire engine red and Kuran's smirk was only growing wider.

"Eyes on the road," he snapped, feeling off-balance and hating it. He was too curious for his own good sometimes, because the next question just slipped out. "You, er, wanted me back then?"

"Every time you mouthed off to me."

Zero shut up. He could take a hint, and he was _not_ going to ask why Kuran hadn't just taken him. Zero had relied upon him for sanity back then, and if Kuran had said he'd trade his blood for sex, Zero would have spread his legs.

He'd have hated it, but he'd have done it.

And that wasn't even considering the law. Once Zero had finally completed the transformation and become a D – an unclaimed D in his territory - Kuran would have had every right, according to vampire law, to use him however he wanted.

On second thoughts, that was probably why Kuran _hadn't._ He was pretty decent behaviour-wise for a pureblood. He understood a concept like consent.

They approached a massive pair of gates, which looked far more than merely decorative, and had an accompanying guardhouse, with half a dozen armed men manning it.

Zero eyed it all with interest.

"Why do _you_ need security?"

"Rabid fans," Kuran deadpanned, the gates opening as the guards recognised Kuran's car and Kuran pushed some sort of button on a key fob.

They drove up a long stately drive, and finally Zero saw Kuran's excuse for a house.

It was not a house.

Kuran had a freaking castle, moat and all.

Zero rolled his eyes, and started calculating how long it would take him to get back to his apartment after they were done. It would take at least half an hour to walk down the drive, and he doubted he could catch a bus at dawn.

Those thoughts distracted him as Kuran parked the car and they got out, walking right through the front door because Zero hadn't been embarrassed enough yet. Thank god, the maid who came out to greet Kuran kept her head down. Kuran led him through a maze of corridors until they were in a bedroom that was fit for… a castle.

Zero twitched.

Suddenly, Kuran's aura washed over Zero, and he shuddered. Clearly the pureblood didn't feel the need to hide his aura now that he was home, and Zero's Hunter senses started screaming incoherently about the nearby pureblood. Well, at least they weren't broken. Too little too late, though he wished he knew how Kuran had hidden it in the first place. Might be useful.

He forced his Hunter senses down. It was just Kuran. Sure, he was a pureblood, but he was a customer too. He wasn't the worst person Zero had ever slept with, and he was easy on the eyes, which was always a plus.

"Scared?" Kuran had turned back to look at him, apparently his reaction had not gone unnoticed.

"You wish, bastard," Zero replied, hating that Kuran was goading him, and hating that it was working. Zero might have been tempted to back out now that he was warmer, but he couldn't after a challenge like that.

Kuran still knew him too well. Fucking pureblood.

#

"How do you want me?" he asked brusquely, determined not to hesitate. "And I want to see my money." Kuran wasn't the type to try to welch, but Zero wanted him to know that he wouldn't just roll over either.

"Take a shower first," Kuran replied unlacing his shoes. "You look blue."

Zero wanted to tell him to fuck off, but he didn't. He _was_ cold and he wouldn't turn down a hot shower anyway. The water heater in his apartment was broken and Mashiro said he'd fix it when Zero showed some fucking gratitude. Fuck that.

Because Kuran's eyes weren't affecting him in the slightest, Zero stripped off his wet clothes right there in the bedroom, and left them to ruin a posh chair that looked like an antique.

The shower was gorgeous. Zero passive-aggressively used all of Kuran's body wash, just because. He wished he could spend an hour in here, and he would if Kuran was paying by the hour, and if he thought it was possible to use up all of the hot water. But he didn't want Kuran to think Zero was avoiding him, so he stepped out, dried off, left the towel on the floor and wrapped himself in a robe hanging on the back of the door.

Walking back into the bedroom, he eyed Kuran apprehensively. A pile of notes had appeared on the side table by the door, and Zero decided to be rude and count them.

Kuran, the bastard, shadow-walked up behind him, making him jump as hands appeared on his waist, and a mouth nuzzled at his neck.

"Rules?" Kuran asked undoing Zero's belt and slipping his hands inside.

Zero ignored him, carefully counting. Five hundred. Well alright then.

"No biting or blood, no maiming, no watersports or shit like that. No animals, no scarring and no permanent damage. Other kinks by negotiation only."

Kuran snorted into his neck. "Is that all?"

Zero smirked and leant backwards, arse grinding against Kuran's interest.

"No biting?" Kuran nibbled. "Are you sure? I'll pay double."

"Not happening," Zero said, not even the slightest bit tempted. Vampires who drank his blood got glimpses of memory and emotion and that shit was private.

"On your knees then."

#


	2. Chapter 2

Zero had been expecting it, but it still rankled his pride to turn in Kuran's arms and sink to his knees. Kuran had changed into a robe too at some point, so it was easy to undo the belt and reach inside whilst he deliberately avoided eye contact.

Kuran's cock – not something he'd spent much time thinking about – was the same as a human's, thank god. He'd forgotten Kuran was technically a different species right up until he knelt. It was on the larger side, but nothing monstrous and Zero had plenty of practice, so was able to swallow it down without embarrassing himself.

Instantly he felt Kuran's hands on either side of his head, gripping his hair tightly and guiding his movements.

"I should have known there was only one way to shut you up," Kuran said. Zero rolled his eyes even as he pulled off to lick and pump with a closed fist.

"You're really getting a kick out of me being here aren't you, Kuran? Wouldn't know you'd had to pay for it."

"So much," Kuran agreed pleasantly, tugging Zero's hair to make him get back to it. "And you might as well call me Kaname. Night knows you're the only one disrespectful enough to sass me."

"Kaname," Zero gave him fake-sultry eyes and made his voice all breathy and husky.

Kaname shivered and Zero grinned a wide, shark-toothed grin. He _liked_ knowing that he could affect the almighty pureblood. The tug on his hair grew sharper, and he went back to swallowing.

It was not quick. Kaname had some serious stamina it seemed, and after the first twenty minutes, Zero had to really put his back into it. His knees were aching, his jaw throbbed, and all he wanted was for Kaname to fucking come already so that Zero could stand up.

He was starting to feel that his skills were inadequate, and he hated that Kaname could make him feel that way, even about something like this. He tried deep throating again, his gag reflex had been worn down months ago, and swallowed gently around Kaname's cock, humming around it. Kaname definitely liked that; he thrust his hips forward violently, choking Zero.

The bastard liked that too. He did it again the instant Zero'd recovered from the first one.

"Really Zero," the pureblood said as mild as milk, "I thought you'd be better at this by now."

Coughing painfully, Zero narrowed his eyes; he wanted to play it that way? Fine. Zero might be playing whore for Kaname fucking Kuran, but at least Zero could make Kaname crave it.

Zero locked gaze with Kaname and very slowly bent even lower, placing a kiss to Kaname's foot. Oh yeah, Kaname liked that. His eyes flared red. Zero made his way up slowly, pressing gentle, submissive, kisses all the way back up to the twitching cock right in front of his face.

Zero looked up at Kaname from demurely lowered eyes.

"Am I not pleasing you, Master?"

Kaname snapped, and Zero was cackling with amusement even as he was thrown through the air to land with a thump on the bed, breath whooshing out from him in a gasp. Kaname leapt on him in a second, thighs locked around Zero's chest, and as Zero tried to get air, a cock was shoved down his throat.

"I wish I _had_ bitten you Zero," Kaname moaned above him as he brutally fucked Zero's mouth, only pulling out for the pleasure of forcing his way back in. His balls slapped against Zero's chin. "You'd have been the perfect pet." Zero started to thrash as he realised he was actually suffocating. "Oh yeah, just like that."

Kaname groaned, head thrown back and back arcing then Zero's mouth was flooded with semen. Heart racing, Zero forced himself to be still and conserve oxygen as Kaname pulsed inside him, seed coating his tongue thickly again and again until Kaname was spent.

When he finally pulled out entirely, inconsiderate bastard, Zero managed one gasp through his mouth, choking on a full mouthful, before Kaname's hand slapped over his lips.

Zero's eyes clearly conveyed his thoughts: What the fuck?

Kaname's eyes burned darkly in reply.

"Swallow."

Glaring, Zero swallowed Kuran's essence down as he breathed desperately through his nose. It wasn't the worst he'd ever tasted, but sperm never tasted pleasant and anyone who said otherwise was lying. If Kaname hadn't forced the issue he would definitely have spat it out. Kaname probably knew that too. _Bastard_.

When it was done, Kaname smiled, pleased and smug to the core, and rolled off Zero's chest.

"Well done," he praised, hand stroking Zero's head.

"Fuck off, I'm not actually your pet you know."

"I know," Kaname said mournfully.

"My god you're fucked in the head," Zero told him flatly. Kaname just grinned, and rolled Zero under him, lips descending.

Kaname kissed like he was trying to steal Zero's soul, tongue twirling into Zero's mouth, tasting the remnants of his own seed and clearly liking finding it there. He ruled Zero's mouth until Zero broke away, gasping for breath yet again.

"You have a strangulation kink don't you? Well not happening, buddy, find someone more desperate."

Kaname looked startled, and then amused. He buried his head into Zero's neck and his back heaved. It shocked Zero for a moment, thinking he was crying – but then he heard the giggles. That was even _more_ unnerving.

Kaname Kuran did not giggle.

"You are such a weirdo," Zero said, feeling fond for a strange moment, hand coming up to stroke Kaname's hair. Why not? He'd always wondered what it felt like, and now he could find out.

"Ah Zero," Kaname said coming up for air, smirking, although there was a mad glint in his eyes that said he wasn't quite finished being dangerously amused, "You have no idea what you do to me."

"I've got an idea," Zero said, huffing as he deliberately arched his hips up to prove a point. Kaname's erection had reappeared and was nudging against his stomach. Fucking purebloods and their fucking healing abilities.

"Mmmm," Kaname agreed, but Zero could tell all of his attention was focused on his neck, where his head still rested.

Zero didn't need to be a Hunter, to know Kaname's eyes were blazing red.

"Not. Happening." Zero said, cool and dispassionate. Hunter training was useful there at least. He knew how vampire-thinking went and how best to cut it off at the source. Showing fear was the exact wrong move, showing any emotion at all could entice. The best method to defeat bloodlust was apathy.

"Just curious," Kaname lied, licking a stripe from collarbone to ear. Zero squirmed uncomfortably – which at least distracted Kaname from his neck for a moment. "Are you sure you won't let me? It'll feel good, I promise."

Zero rolled Kaname off of him, irritated since he knew he only _could_ because Kaname let him, and scrambled off the bed.

"No means no. If you can't respect that, I'm gone, and you aren't getting a discount."

Kaname's eyes were most definitely red; they burned even as he held his hands up in mock surrender. "I won't bite. Not unless you ask," he grumbled, flopping down onto the mess of sheets. "Now come back here, I want to fuck you. Although, for the record, how would you feel about a small cut from a knife? I'd lick your blood up, no fangs involved."

Zero sighed. "Still no, and _fuck no._ I'm not stupid enough to let a leech into my head."

"Not even for ten thousand?"

Kaname wasn't joking Zero knew that. Even so, he wasn't tempted in the slightest. There _were_ limits.

"Nope," he said, smiling as he watched his answer frustrate Kuran.

Considering that Kaname could catch him if he ran, could hold him down if he struggled, and that really the only thing stopping him from biting was his own sense of morality, it was way too much fun to rile him.

Zero didn't get enough fun lately, and his smile was genuine.

"Fifty thousand?"

"No."

"A luxury car?"

"No."

"A house, anywhere in the world."

"No."

Shadows started gathering around the bed, summoned by Kaname's bad mood. It made his eyes the only fire in their darkness. As a hunter, Zero knew that the best time to run would have been an hour ago. As Zero, rent boy, he was just amused that he could irritate Kaname to this point, although there was a healthy dash of fear in there, because he _was_ a Hunter in blood.

Grinning, Zero sashayed back over to the bed, unashamed by his nakedness and the erection bobbing over his stomach. Given Kaname's obvious mood, it was no surprise when pale hands lashed out of the artificial shadows and dragged him inside their veil.

Kaname shoved him flat on the sheets, which Zero noted for the first time felt _beautiful_ against his skin, and proceeded to blow Zero's mind.

#


	3. Chapter 3

"Pretty sure you've got this the wrong was around," Zero whimpered, hips failing to fuck upwards for the millionth time as Kaname's hands held him prisoner.

Kaname hummed around Zero's cock, and Zero nearly cried from frustration.

" _Please_ let me come, Kaname."

"Hmmm," Kaname pretended to debate it as he pulled off, idly grabbing the base of Zero's cock, preventing him from coming and blowing lightly over the dripping skin, so red it was nearly purple, visibly throbbing with need.

"Nope," Kaname grinned. No one should be able to look that fucking perfect after sucking cock for the past two hours Zero thought miserably.

"Is this a kink for you?" Zero asked, not for the first time. "Shit, how many do you _have_ you mad vampire?"

Kaname's fangs descended to the mushroom head, coming way too close for Zero's peace of mind.

Kaname didn't let them scratch through the delicate skin; instead his new torture was to hold the razor-sharp fangs just above the head, and let Zero's pulse do the rest. Every heartbeat risked a scratch, and that only made his heart pound harder. Zero couldn't tear his eyes away, even when they blurred with tears he couldn't get the image out of his head. Fucking vampire.

"I _could_ let you come," Kaname contemplated, bobbing up and down once, deep throating Zero right to the base in a second before he let him go and gripped tightly again.

"Yes," Zero agreed frantically, "Now, please, oh god, please master. I've been such a good pet, haven't I?"

Kaname chuckled, the sound reaching Zero slowly through the fog of desperation.

"Two hours ago, a performance like that might have tempted me to be merciful," Kaname praised, patting Zero's cock like it was a good dog. Zero flinched up into his touch, begging with his eyes, nearly missing the next part. "But now I require something more."

"Anything," Zero agreed instantly, "Please master, please please please," he bucked, but Kaname wouldn't let him move far.

"Oh ho," he smirked, and somewhere behind the rage of lust Zero felt something like suspicion, but it was soon lost to the overwhelming need to. Just. Fucking. Come. "Anything is it? _Such_ a good pet."

Kaname stopped talking to kiss the tip of Zero's leaking cock. He was so oversensitive that pain and pleasure had blurred indistinguishably together. Kaname might as well have bitten it off as kiss it and Zero wouldn't care for at least two minutes.

"You may come," Kaname graciously permitted, "If you let me bite you."

"Fuck," Zero groaned. "Should have fucking known you stubborn bastard."

"Yes?" Kaname licked down, claws tickling his balls.

"No," Zero cried, back arching nearly forty-five degrees as Kaname sucked him down again.

"No?" Kaname said mildly. "Are you sure? As per our agreement," stroke, "I can have you all," stroke, "night," stroke, "long." Stroke stroke stroke. "And Zero, honey?" Stroke, suck, stroke, "We've barely begun." Kiss-scratch-stroke.

"You're killing me," Zero panted. "I'm – go-ing to -have -a –heart- att-ack- at- this -rate," the words were difficult to get out between the gasping screams.

He should have known a pureblood wouldn't pleasure a whore without a really fucking good reason.

"You can stop this at any time," Kaname said earnestly, only his eyes revealing his deep and unfathomable well of sadism. "You know you can, Zero. Let me help you, darling. Just say the words, and this will all be over."

Zero threw an arm over his eyes, shaking his head and trying for the thousandth time to dislodge Kaname's grip.

"My blood cannot smell that good," he said when he'd recovered a scrap of sanity.

"I'm not used to being denied," Kaname admitted in between those absolutely insanity inducing tiny nips up and down Zero's cock and around his balls and the highly sensitive skin between.

"I," Zero gasped, "Am sorry you were never refused toys as a child. Please show the mercy you were not and _let me come."_

"Hmm, let me think about that," Kaname murmured into his ear, nibbling the rim with his fangs, his breath dancing over Zero's skin. "How about no?"

"Fuck you," Zero panted. If Kaname just released him… he only needed a second without that vice like grip around him to come. He'd never had an orgasm out of self-preservation before, but now seemed like the perfect fucking time for one.

Kaname had, could and would keep this up for hours, Zero had to think of something else.

Thinking with an amorous pureblood so close to his neck wasn't easy.

"Come on Kaname," he tried, "This isn't fair. What is my consent worth when it's given under torture?"

"Torture?" Kaname started pinching Zero's nipples – and oh god they'd never felt like that before, fresh tears rolled down his face. "Zero, you flatterer."

"Kaname, oh god, my mind is, argh, private. Please, shit, don't make me give that to you, oh fuckfuckfuck."

Kaname paused, and for a moment Zero thought he'd done it, his cock gave another dozen happy jerks as Kaname's tight-fisted grip seemed to loosen… but no. Wishful thinking. Kaname's fist was as tight as ever the absolute _bastard._

"Should have taken the offer of a house then."

Zero groaned. Kaname was pressed right up behind him, lips at his neck, just waiting for Zero to surrender.

It was maddening.

Then, Zero felt it.

Kaname had been hard for just as long as Zero, and if Zero was about to burst from lust, how was Kaname feeling? It wasn't much of an idea… but it was Kaname's fault for using lust as a weapon in the first place.

"Don't you want to come, master?" Zero asked meekly. "How can I serve you like this? Don't you want me to pleasure you?"

Kaname didn't reply, too busy licking over Zero's pulse point again and again and again.

Although the movement ached, so much Zero thought he really was having that stroke - Zero managed to thrust up against Kaname's hips, catching his cock between them and grinding himself up, rubbing it ruthlessly.

Oh yeah, Kaname wanted it. His cock was steel-hard and dripping. He had to have superhuman willpower to keep this up when he wanted it this bad. Oh well, his fault.

Time to turn the tables.

#

With Kaname neatly distracting himself with Zero's neck, Zero twisted around, the sheets not sticking to his sweat dampened body – proof, if he'd ever needed any of how fucking expensive they had to be – until they were lying back to chest.

Kaname's fist was still tight around Zero's cock, his arm a chain over Zero's hip, but painful lust was an incredible motivator.

"Your blood smells amazing Zero," Kaname groaned, breaths panting hot against his neck. "I'll be gentle, I promise."

"No," Zero snapped. Fuck it he should have taken the money earlier and not come back to bed. He couldn't actually stop Kaname, and that was an uncomfortable thought. He wasn't used to being vulnerable just as a result of being born the way he was.

Kaname jerked hard against Zero's body, one rock-solid cock pressed tight up against his thighs.

"Wouldn't you rather take me Master?" Zero crooned softly. "You're so hard. Don't you want to come?" He didn't mind calling Kaname master- not when it clearly drove him wild. It was just a word, and the pureblood was far from the only vampire with a dominance fetish out there.

Lick, lick, lick.

"I want your blood more."

Feeling vaguely flattered and a lot annoyed, Zero changed tracks.

He thrust backwards, catching Kaname's cock between his arse cheeks, letting the purebloods pre-come smooth the way he rocked back and forward.

Kaname liked that. He liked it a lot.

He took over the movements, his elbow tightening, pressing Zero closer and keeping his cruel grip on Zero's purpling cock at the same time. His other hand was wound tight in Zero's hair. He thrust hard between Zero's cheeks, the passage just slick enough with sweat and pre-come to entice, and just dry enough for Kaname to have to work for it.

Self-control of a monk or not, Kaname had been hard for just as long as Zero, and there was no fist about _his_ cock.

Kaname came, groaning into Zero's neck as wet sticky come splashed between his cheeks, body rigid and taught behind him, pressing him so tight, Zero's ribs creaked with the pressure. Zero didn't care.

Kaname's fist had finally loosened – too lost in his own pleasure to be cruel - Zero didn't waste the chance he'd been dying for however many hours it had been.

He came in a fountain of desperation, as hard as he ever had in his life, back arching inhumanly, he cried out in sheer relief, his come splattering down over his thighs and stomach and the sheets.

"Well," Kaname said softly, as Zero cried a few tears of thank fucking fuck, his entire body a ball of aching relief. "I guess we'll just have to start again."

#

I'm amazed at how many people like this, so here's an extra quick update.


	4. Chapter 4

The author deeply regrets posting this, but as its already out there, apparently the author will see it through to the end.

#

Zero – who'd been a nanosecond away from passing out as the blood rushed back to his brain – was instantly alert, horror mixing with adrenaline in the blood and making him nauseous. His higher brain did not appreciate the magnesium flare of wicked interest that Kaname's words brought on in the slightest.

"You have got to be joking," Zero panted weakly. "I can't – Kaname be reasonable – it's physically impossible – "

"We'll see," Kaname smiled winningly. "Shower?"

It wasn't actually a question.

The pureblood had obviously recovered in under a minute, damn him, for he sprang from the ruined bed as spry as a spring fucking rabbit, and dragged Zero from the mattress' embrace, when Zero's body flat out refused to move an inch.

"You're dripping come all over my rug," Kaname noted, standing over him, naked and glorious, as Zero paid homage to the floor, legs having collapsed underneath him the moment Kaname's support vanished.

"Your come," Zero retaliated feebly, "Your rug."

"Oh I know."

The bastard sounded unbearably self-satisfied. Zero rolled over, smearing more come into the weave because apparently he would rise from the dead just to bitch at the other vampire.

Laughing, Kaname bodily picked him up – princess style because Kaname was just as petty as Zero – and dumped him in the bath. A bath which had more in common with a swimming pool than it did a tub.

"Wash up," Kaname commanded. "We're not done. And I owe you for distracting me."

Zero managed to turn the taps on only because he couldn't bear the thought of Kaname actually washing him, and obeyed. He was covered in sweat and come and the water felt heavenly on the bruises.

"I'm not going to let you bite me Kaname." Zero said flatly when Kaname returned, scrubbing away with something expensive and scented. "That's not a test – that's a hard limit. You knew what my terms were. Trying to trick them isn't on. You can overpower me if you want to – we both know that – but don't make it into my fault. Bite me, and prove yourself an ass, or lay the fuck off."

Kaname eyed him _moodily_ if Zero was any judge of it.

"Has anyone _else_ had your blood?"

"I don't talk about other customers," Zero said viciously prim, knowing damn well how Kaname would take _that._

Yep. He was pissed. And possibly jealous. Oh for fuck's sake. Jealous? Zero fumed. _Fucking_ Purebloods.

Kaname hissed, breath sharp between his fangs.

"Did you _let_ them? Or did they take it – and you?"

"We're not having a moment, Kuran. You're paying for my body, you don't get my secrets with every fuck."

Kaname shot him a tremendously hacked off look, Zero smiled sweetly in reply, and got into the shower.

Zero watched interestedly, after giving himself a mental tally point for winning the argument, because apparently coming like a geyser wasn't _enough_ when he had a show like that right before his fangs.

There was no denying it: Kaname was beautiful. Not handsome, human men were handsome. The unnatural, superhuman, _inhuman_ feyness Kaname had going on definitely put him in the beautiful category. His skin was flawless, and not being descended from apes, virtually hairless. It was one long, long, plane of a single colour, sculpting his musculature so closely he might as well have been David given life. Add in the water, steaming down that body, the arch of his back as Kaname ran hands through those luscious brown locks – and it was impossible to tear his eyes away.

The _look_ Kaname shot him half way through was full of knowing, and Zero felt his ears redden. Which, you know, totally wasn't fair. They'd already fucked like rabbits and Kaname could still make him blush? Depressing.

Clean, Zero climbed out, pleased that his legs were now willing to support him. Then instead of hanging about to watch Kaname bathe, he pretended disinterest and wondered back into the bedroom, a soft towel wrapped about his waist.

The bed had been remade. The rug removed.

Zero's blush returned full throttle. Fresh sheets had been laid out; a meal for two prepared on the sideboard, wine poured – and Zero knew purebloods didn't do menial chores.

A maid, manservant, chamberlain, or whatever had been in here, whilst Zero had been in the bath – they'd seen the sex damp sheets and changed them out, they could probably _scent_ the sweat and pheromones in the air and oh _god_ this was humiliating.

Zero stalked to the wine and poured a generous glass, turning his attention to the food. He hadn't seen food like that in way too long. He'd been living on noodles for the past week. It was so artistically arranged it seemed wrong to eat it. He lifted the glass instead. Maybe he could drink enough to forget to be embarrassed.

"You should go carefully with that, it cost more than you."

"Oh ha fucking ha," Zero groused, kissing back when Kaname reappeared and laid one on him, sliding around Zero to get his own glass as Zero would never pour for him and the bastard knew better than to ask.

One sip – and Zero nearly spat it back into the glass. The only reason he didn't was because Kaname was fucking watching him, freshly robed and smirking.

"This is not wine," Zero narrowed his eyes, giving the glass a suspicious sniff. "Is that blood?"

Before the second version of the tablets had come out, Zero had been living on stolen blood bags from a donor bank. He hated the need for blood and didn't fucking appreciate being served it without warning.

"Blood wine," Kaname corrected easily, following Zero to sit at the table. "Descartes to be precise, 1630."

Zero groaned, banging his head against the wood.

"Fucking vampires. Pretentious bastards the lot of you."

Kaname grinned with a mouth full of fangs. "Would you let me have your blood if it was made into blood wine first? I'd swear not to touch it until it was properly infused."

"Why the fuck would you bother?"

Kaname, bastard that he was, gave Zero a long, sultry look, then closed his eyes, tilted his head back and _sniffed_ the air.

"Because you smell divine, Zero. I'd like to be able to savour your blood a thousand years from now."

Zero rolled his eyes, ignoring the strangest compliment he'd ever gotten. "You are _such_ a vampire."

He _was_ hungry though, so Zero blatantly ignored what Kaname's foot was doing to him under the table and set about eating everything on his plate. Duck in a tangy orange sauce, dauphinoise potatoes so thinly sliced they were translucent, and bright green vegetables, covered in butter and steaming. He cleaned the plate in ten minutes, mopping up the sauce with olive stuffed bread, leaning back in his chair with a sigh – only to find Kaname watching him, eyes dark.

"Prostitution not paying as well as it used to?"

He said it lightly, but Zero still sneered back.

"Keep your fangs out of my business."

Humming, Kaname dropped it, but Zero knew it wouldn't be the last he heard on the topic. Purebloods were _terrible_ busybodies. Worse than a dozen aged grandmothers on the sherry.

"Are you done, or should I send for seconds?"

"I'm done," Zero snapped. He wasn't a starving street rat for god's sake.

Kaname leaned back in his chair, claws tapping on the table. Zero bravely resisted the urge to punch him in the face as Kaname smiled happily.

"To bed then."

Rolling his eyes, Zero stood and stripped the towel off, tossing it back towards the arrogant pureblood as he stalked towards the bed, flopping onto the fresh sheets with poor grace.

With a rush of wind, Kaname appeared, knocking Zero flat onto his back and climbing onto the mattress after him.

"Impatient?" Zero teased. "If only your pets could see you now."

Kaname snorted, nudging Zero's thighs wide as he lowered himself between them. Zero refused to squirm as he felt the press of something hot, wet and blunt against his skin.

"Maybe I am impatient," Kaname mused, nipping hard at Zero's neck in warning. "I hope you prepared yourself thoroughly earlier, because I'm not in the mood to be kind."


	5. Chapter 5

"What the fuck, Kaname?"

Zero tried not to panic as invisible tendrils of power lifted his arms above his head and held them fast against the ornately carved headboard. He hated feeling trapped.

Innocent was not an expression the pureblood carried off well.

" **Don't move them**."

Zero shuddered, hearing an odd echo to Kaname's words and feeling something _shift_ inside him. His heart starting racing, and for the first time he wondered if he'd made a mistake in coming here. That hadn't been an idle phrase – Zero had only ever felt it once before, but it was an impossible sensation to forget.

Shizuka.

That had been an order – a command from a pureblood to a lesser vampire. One he couldn't disobey if his life depended on it.

He tried anyway. Of course he tried.

His fingers would flex, his shoulders could tense, but nothing in between would move to matter how hard he strained. His mind just wouldn't translate thought to action. It was deeply unsettling. Wrist to shoulder, he was paralysed.

"Going to struggle?" Kaname purred, watching intently, satisfaction clear in his eyes.

Zero sneered, hiding his unease. He had a terrible feeling that panicking; kicking, or screaming would be a very bad idea. He didn't like the look in Kaname's eyes whatsoever.

"I said kinks by negotiation only, _leech."_

Kaname – the weirdo – chuckled. He pressed a kiss to Zero's collarbone with a hint of fang. "Well then," another nip, "in the interests of fair warning," a sharper nip, "a little bondage, like so," Zero's arms gave an involuntarily jerk as if he needed the reminder of his paralysis. "A little dominance play," Kaname moved to lick a nipple, tongue rasping like a cat's over the increasingly sensitive flesh, "maybe a few toys if we have time," he moved to the other nipple, leaving the first red and sore, "and of course, I'm going bareback."

It was all said in a very pleasant, polite and conversational manner, not a hint of a blush to be seen anywhere. Zero had seriously misjudged him at school if he'd ever thought this vampire was a prude.

"Naturally," Zero sighed, letting his head flop down onto the pillows, hoping his apathy would irritate Kaname. The motion strained his shoulders, but he was trying not to think about how helpless he was. "Get on with it would you? I'm not getting any cheaper." He spread his legs wider, letting Kaname fall a little deeper between them.

Kaname rose above him, resting himself on his forearms to either side of Zero's head, making a cage of flesh. Zero knew the allusion was deliberate, and so refused to be unnerved. Kaname was just being his usual bastard self.

His cock was at his entrance. Zero felt the blunt wet head at his hole and felt his heart start to pound. Kaname wasn't a small vampire.

Zero had, in fact, prepared thoroughly before leaving his shitty apartment. Most of his clients didn't have the patience to wait, and found the task disgusting or annoying depending on whether or not they were being fooled into pretending it was just like a woman or were paying by the hour. At least if Zero did it then it was done properly.

It had been hours since then, and no matter how much he hated it, Zero was also a vampire. He'd inherited their healing factor. Usually it was a good thing. Tonight, it wasn't.

This was going to hurt so badly come dawn.

Kaname looked Zero dead in the eye, and thrust forward.

It hurt. _Bastard._

Kaname was inside him in one shove, having forced himself all the way in, balls resting heavily against Zero's lower cheeks. Zero's back arched, but Kaname's hands locked down on his shoulders, freezing him in place as he struggled not to cry out or push him off or otherwise embarrass himself.

Fucking vampiric pureblooded leech of a bastard. Pus-filled wart on a whore's arse. Dried blood in a desert - that really _burned._

Zero took a deep breath, fought a wince, and forced his body back down to the mattress. He needed to relax his muscles or this was going to get worse. Kaname was hardly the first client who liked a little pain with his pleasure or the first to like Zero's pain in particular. This was Kaname's show, bought and paid for. A few more hours and he could forget this had ever happened, and in the mean time, he'd get an orgasm or two out of it. The pain would pass, and bonus, he wouldn't have to work tomorrow. He could even order a pizza with the money he'd earned tonight.

Zero calmed at the thought, easing his body down, letting the muscles adjust.

That was it. It was done; it would only get easier from here on out. The bigger threat was from Kaname's fangs. This close, stopping Kaname from biting him was impossible. He had to prepare for the worst – if Kaname made that choice, there'd be no escape. The most Zero could hope for was to see it coming.

Kaname's eyes were closed in the bliss of that first stroke. He hissed a long slow breath, fangs worrying clear against his lower lip – and as Kaname withdrew, Zero knew why.

Blood.

Kaname had torn him, the bloodsucker. When he pulled out, blood followed, and Zero could smell it in the air – which meant Kaname could smell it even _more._

Bad idea.

The pureblood was no E when it came to self-control, but Zero didn't like how the stakes had just been raised. Kaname might just want his blood for another way to fuck with him, but it was also not something Zero was prepared to give, and he didn't trust Kaname's self-control _that_ much; not when blood was already in the air.

"How many have been inside you?" Kaname asked as he sank back in with a groan of pleasure.

"None of your fucking business," Zero gasped out, claws ripping the headboard as he forced the pain down. Shit shit shit he was going to be healing for a _week_ fucking pureblood.

"Mmm," Kaname obviously wasn't listening as he took Zero hard, thrusting fast and long. Cock reaching too far inside and hands too tight on his shoulders. For fuck's sake his collarbone was about to crack. "I wish I'd been first."

"Dream on," Zero spat. At least if he was talking he wasn't biting.

"I do, and now that I've found you -," he cut off with a grunt as Zero clenched hard, knees locking tight around Kaname's ribs in retaliation. It made him release Zero's shoulders, finally, leaving perfectly formed bruises there in the shape of his hands.

Zero side-eyed them and sighed in resignation. _Kaname_ glanced down at them and smirked.

Zero narrowed his eyes, wishing he had the use of his arms to punch the fucker in the face. When Kaname condescended to meet his gaze, the pureblood smiled at the promise of violence and pulled his cock out.

Then he slammed it back inside, deeply, never pulling free entirely and never dropping his gaze. Well, Zero certainly wasn't going to blink first. He locked his eyes on the pureblood and refused to look away, blink or tear up as Kaname slid inside, again and again.

Zero hissed and swore at him as Kaname left bruises and scratches all down the back of Zero's legs, and all around his waist. His entrance was sore, and there was a line of fire to his guts as Kaname speared forward, uncaring, carving himself a path to pleasure through Zero's flesh.

"Keep your claws to yourself!" Zero roared as he flinched away from another five slices down his thigh. Blood now stained the sheets freely and the scent was all around them.

"Am I damaging the merchandise?" Kaname teased, pausing long enough to bend down and capture Zero's lips in a kiss. Zero kissed back, angrily, making sure the pureblood felt all of his irritation in the movement of his lips. When Kaname's tongue tried to push in, Zero captured it with his fangs, biting down, just a bit, a minor futile warning.

He wasn't stupid enough to draw the other's blood – he knew the price of it would be impossible to pay – but he wanted Kaname to _know_ that Zero wasn't rolling over for him. If he wasn't being paid – he wouldn't be here, and the vampire shouldn't forget that.

Of course, Kaname decided that he _liked_ Zero's threat.

Both their eyes were open – red to lilac – and Zero could _see_ how far the red slits dilated as the pureblood registered Zero's own fangs so close to his blood, the ultimate taboo of vampire society. It was just Zero's luck that his threat turned out to be a kink for the more powerful vampire.

Discomforted to his bones, Zero let go and drew back a few centimetres, panting.

"You're such a freak, Kaname," Zero wondered with bemusement.

Kaname grinned and kissed him again. Zero kept his mouth shut this time, not willing to play a game where the cost of losing was so high, but Kaname was wily. He'd found something he liked and he wasn't going to stop until he got it again.

Kaname jerked his hips once – up and in – straight into the prostrate he'd been ignoring all this time. Zero gasped as pleasure sparked in that nerveless fire– and then it was too late. Kaname's tongue was inside, licking Zero's fangs up and down, _daring_ him to bite as he wrapped his tongue about them like a snake, warm and pulsing.

It felt incredible, and for once it wasn't something Zero had done before, preferring to ignore his vampire side whenever possible. His fangs – he hadn't known they could feel so good. Sensation just poured from them in a direct line to his brain. Teeth didn't normally register temperature unless there was something wrong, but Kaname's tongue felt warm, the wet massage felt like sinking into a hot bath with extra electricity for a good kick or two.

Oh god.

Zero trembled, his muscles weak. He'd had pure blood before. He _knew_ what a high it was, he'd felt like superman for a whole fucking week from a mouthful – and it was right there, less than a millimetre away and he could _have it._

But Zero knew purebloods, too. They were crafty, inhuman creatures. Kaname was tempting him, and if Zero bit, the trap would snap shut and it would be bye bye Zero.

He didn't bite, but it was a long, hard, struggle. Kaname had torn him open, had clawed him from head to toe. Blood stained the sheets, each other, and the air. He was _thirsty._ Blood tablets weren't exactly cheap either. Zero deserved to take a sip to heal, it was being _offered_ … and thinking like that would only play into the purebloods' game somehow. Fuck Kaname to hell for making him feel like a vampire.

Bait untaken, Kaname stopped licking Zero's fangs and gave him a strange look. Zero grinned too widely, smug himself, and made a pretence of laying back, relaxed as he could be despite his arms being unnaturally pinned above him.

The strength with which Kaname shoved his cock into Zero's tunnel said he was pissed off – which meant Zero had been right. That had been a trap.

Zero grinned wider. Kaname glared, twisted his hips slightly – and Zero choked as the battering ram inside him went for his prostrate again, hard.

Thrust. Thrust. Thrust.

Zero screamed, too breathless to do more than choke really. His arms screamed with pain as he nearly dislocated his own shoulders, when his arms wouldn't move but the rest of him jerked about like a landed fish.

"Does it hurt, pet?" Kaname crooned mockingly, balancing himself on one hand as the other caressed Zero's cheek too intimately. The menace in the other vampire's aura could not be disguised.

"Fuck you," Zero spat.

Kaname looked delighted. "Zero," he teased, "If you haven't noticed, it's the other way around."

To prove his point, he slid inside, stayed there, and rocked forward – pushing, pushing, Zero slid an inch up the bed from the force of it.

"Alright, fuck," Zero howled, there was no room left inside him. If Kaname moved another fraction, he was going to burst.

"That's what I thought," Kaname backed off both physically and verbally, whatever vampire possessive crap he was feeling satiated for now. "Darling."

Zero's arms dropped to the mattress without warning, and he sucked in the curse he was about to spit, having to stop a whimper as the pain in them from being stretched was allowed to register once more.

Now of course, he had the problem of what to do with them. He wasn't going to clutch at Kaname's shoulders like a lover, but leaving them out to his side just felt awkward.

For fuck's sake, he'd never had this many problems with any other client.

#

A/N: - Well?


	6. Chapter 6

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Formatting fixed!

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Kaname could probably tell that his thoughts were wondering. His cock struck the place inside that made Zero feel horribly warm and shivery all over a dozen times. When the trembling little hitching motions had subsided, Zero found himself clutching pathetically at Kaname's shoulders, legs wrapped around his waist like a python, with the heels of his feet pressing tight against smooth buttocks, forcing Kaname intimately close.

The purebloods aura was smug, so Zero knew he'd been played, again. He went with it anyway, rocking with Kaname, sliding together, letting sweat build between their skin, letting it ease the way, letting their breath mingle in the speck of space between their faces. Eye contact was clearly something Kaname liked in bed; he hadn't stopped watching Zero since Zero had lain down on his back.

Kaname's eyes were that otherworldly shade of red. It glowed too much to be blood red, but it was far too dark to be _just_ red. It was kind of fascinating really. Kaname was not human, but only the eyes would ever reveal the secret. _Zero's_ eyes didn't look that enticing even when the blood lust was on him and he was instinctively at his most alluring.

The pace shifted. Suddenly, they were rocking vampire-fast and the bed groaned in protest as the board smacked against the wall. The friction was awful. Zero kept it together as well as he could, but it really fucking hurt. Could one get blisters inside? Blood, saliva and pre-come were not the equivalent of real lube and Kaname's pace was not kind to his weaker body – and fuck the vampire _sideways_ with a rusty, spiked and _acidic_ dildo for making Zero admit to that.

He bit his lips to keep the pained noises inside, making bright red petals of blood bead from the surface. Kaname's eyes snapped down to them, and Zero realised his mistake. He should have just whimpered. More blood in the air was a wretched idea. Fuck fuck fuck, Kaname was going to bite – Zero stopped breathing all together with the fear of it -but Kaname's fangs did not move.

Instead, Kaname snapped his eyes closed, shuddered from head to toe, and came in three agonisingly brutal thrusts.

The slick heat shooting into him was sticky and annoying, but it was so many orders of magnitude better than being bitten that Zero almost didn't care for the indignity of it. Then Kaname collapsed on top of him, inconsiderate bastard, all boneless with relaxation and still making tiny thrusts as he rode out the aftershocks of orgasm, and forced yet more seed into Zero's increasingly uncomfortable flesh and Zero soon found that he did care after all.

"Get off," Zero grunted the moment Kaname stopped. "You're heavy."

"I like it here," Kaname murmured, his voice a low seductive whisper. Zero manfully ignored, because, naturally, it didn't interest him at all.

Kaname lifted his head slightly, just enough to look at Zero with unfathomable sincerity. "Zero?" he whispered, "You have no idea how intoxicating the scent of your blood is." Zero stiffened, but Kaname was impossibly to push off. "Please," he continued gently, beseechingly, " _pretty please,_ will you let me taste you?"

Zero shuddered from head to toe. Kaname was begging. He was being all graceful about it sure, but he'd been reduced to _please_ and _let me._ Zero knew what that meant to Kaname. Having any pureblood beg a 'D, having _this_ pureblood beg _Zero…_ it was insanely erotic. A powerful temptation – and utterly forbidden.

A trigger Zero didn't even know he had.

Conniving bastard.

"No," he rasped, swallowed, and said it again to remind himself. " _No_. Are you done? Can I go?" Getting the fuck out of here before Kaname turned him inside out seemed like a fucking incredible idea all round.

"No," Kaname snapped, aura thick with frustration. He reared back, cock slipping free with a faint squelching sound and a rush of liquid. Lifting himself up an inch or two, he reached under to Zero's chest and flipped him over onto his front.

"Bite a pillow if you must. We're nowhere near done."

Kaname lowered himself back down, directly onto Zero back. Their thighs slid against each other, and his cock once more found it's favourite place and drove back home, fully hard once more.

Zero sighed, loud enough to make sure Kaname heard it, and did indeed stretch an arm to get a pillow and drag it nearer. He laid his head down on the heavenly softness and focused on keeping his mouth shut.

Being used again before he'd had a chance to heal was leagues away from arousing, but at least with Kaname he didn't have to pretend, or try to encourage an erection for form's sake. In fact, it would probably piss Kaname off to know how little Zero was enjoying this. Zero buried a smirk into the pillow and tried to project an aura of boredom.

There were no fancy tricks this time. Kaname simply powered inside Zero with a barrage of rough thrusts but apparently that didn't satisfy the bastard's latest need for control, because he grabbed the back of Zero's neck with one marble hand and clamped it tightly, a warning if there ever was one.

Zero heeded it and kept quiet, rocking back gently when Kaname's speed allowed for it, bearing down on the invading cock, trying to keep his entrance loose and unresisting.

Had he pushed back too much? Fucking pureblood and his fragile ego. Kaname hadn't seemed like the type to get offended by his mouth, and Zero despised him for making him feel like this. He'd never had to worry about offending a client before. He could hold himself pretty well against C's and D's, and with a little preparation, the rare lower B he encountered could be fought too.

Purebloods on the other hand, well, even Yagari didn't start trouble there.

Just get it over with, he thought as Kaname slammed in hard enough to force a grunt from him. Let him win whatever this was, and then get the money and go. Pay up the rent, and all problems solved for a good long while.

The hand on his neck tightened.

"Pay attention when you're in my bed, Zero."

Zero rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, master," he called, louder than necessary, "oh yeah, fuck me, just like that, oh it's so good," he crooned.

Kaname stopped. Oh fuck it, and Zero really _had_ meant to keep his mouth shut.

"Not enough?" Zero asked, despairing of his tongue as it sprinted ahead of his survival instincts without a care in the world. "Master, _please, I need you."_

White sensation blinded him for the next eon as Kaname scorched his pleasure centre with a very well aimed campaign. Zero lost all sense of awareness until it was over, leaving him wrecked and limp.

When he came to, Kaname was pressed fully against Zero's back. There was a strange pins and needles sensation in his legs, and an awful wet sensation around his thighs that told Zero the pureblood had found his release inside, again.

Panting, Zero shuddered as Kaname pulled out entirely, a trickle of semen following his cock out.

"I could get used to you calling me Master, Zero," Kaname purred, pressing a kiss into Zero's sweaty hair, and pulling his body over to press lengthways against his own. Bastard, Zero thought, furious. It was bad enough that he couldn't move without Kaname fucking Kuran moving him about without so much as a by your fucking leave.

"How'd I guess?" Zero drawled, the sarcasm less effective than he'd prefer since he was still out of breath. How did the fucking pureblood do it? He wasn't even sweating.

"Bath?" Kaname offered, even though they'd only just washed – not that Zero was refusing, he felt _disgusting._

"Fine," Zero shrugged, and he forced himself up before Kaname could carry him again, staggering into the bathroom as quickly as he could, on bowed and shaky legs, before the rest of Kaname's seed could leak. He was desperate to wash the scent of blood off of him before Kaname snapped. It was the only reason he walked through the pain throbbing with every step.

The bath was already full, and steaming. Zero eyed it distrustfully.

"Did someone come in to run this whilst we were fucking?"

"Naturally," Kaname replied, prowling past as naked as the night he was born, and giving Zero's rear a _firm_ squeeze as he did. It sent a bolt of agony up his spine, lifting him onto his toes – to Kaname's clear amusement.

Zero side-eyed him, and gave it up. Fucking purebloods. Of course Kaname didn't care if a servant saw him _fucking a whore_ because they were just servants, naturally.

Worse: Zero could apparently predict how Kaname thought now. When had that happened?

He got in, because he wanted to be clean more than he cared for latent embarrassment.

Kaname got in with him, because apparently, they were not done.

"I should have charged more," Zero complained, eyeing Kaname's half-hard cock with resigned misery.

#


	7. Chapter 7

#

"Your mouth will do this time, Zero," Kaname _magnanimously_ permitted as he stretched both arms across the rim of the tub languorously and pillowed his against a folded towel, closing his eyes in a picture of perfect repose.

Except for his cock, of course, _that_ was bobbing jeeringly below the surface.

"Under the fucking water?" Zero snarled, because of course that's what Kaname wanted, impossible bastard. For fuck's sake, that sort of recovery time was _inhuman._ Zero was starting to feel inadequate and he _loathed_ that twist of anxious uncertainty.

Kaname only smirked.

Reluctantly – the hot water and peace was _good_ for pain – Zero hitched his way exhaustedly across the tub, grumbling all the way, kneeling just before Kaname's feet with water up to his neck.

How was he supposed to _breathe?_

That vexing smirk was still plastered across Kaname's face – so Zero knew complaining was right out. The bastard would only laugh. He took a few quick breaths to fully oxygenate his blood, then took a normal one and dove down.

Unwilling to open his eyes underwater, Zero had to go by touch. If he flailed about a bit before finding one silky thigh, well, the bastard deserved the bruising. He followed the thigh up to the dick that was becoming far too familiar for Zero's peace of mind.

Next time he was charging double. No, wait, _triple._

"Do I have to remind you to hold your breath, Zero?" Kaname mused when Zero came up spluttering for air, wide eyed and panting.

"Fuck you," Zero squeaked, his mind still stuck on _next time._ Why had he thought that? Why? Why did he _do_ this to himself? Now the words _next time, next time, next time_ were stuck on a revolving loop in his mind, voiced in a loud, booming baritone.

It was just not his night.

Naturally, he then realised he'd squeaked like a ten year old girl confronted with a giant spider, and dove back under the water before Kaname could laugh at him.

Licking was easier than sucking under water. Kaname was trembling, but Zero doubted it was from pleasure. The water didn't even have the decency to muffle the chuckling. Bastard. Zero could lick without swallowing half the tub, so he did. He started at the base, thankful that the tub was wide enough that he could get a good angle to mouth Kaname's balls without straining his neck.

He sucked them, rolled them around, pulling gently at the delicate skin as he massaged the orbs between his tongue and the smooth palate of his mouth.

He had to come up for air twice before he moved on to the base of the purebloods cock. He licked in long firm strokes, tasting only water; he licked around the whole pole like a cat before he switched to long vertical stripes of his tongue, going strong enough to give Kaname the raspier bit at the back and broad strokes up and down and up and down and – air.

It was not quick.

Bad enough that Zero had considerable proof of the vampire's stamina, but the intermittent blow job made it hard to get a good rhythm going and Kaname was not easy vampire to satisfy in the first place. His head was spinning from a lack of oxygen after the first ten minutes.

A hand tangled itself in his hair. Zero sucked _hard,_ nipping slightly with his fangs just in case Kaname got any ideas about drowning him.

Kaname's hand tightened into a fist and Zero remembered too late that the pureblood got off on Zero threatening him. The organ in his mouth hardened impossibly further, and it rammed down his throat before he could protest. Zero had no choice but to swallow around it and conserve his oxygen.

Fucking. Pureblood.

He didn't dare choke on the pervasive fullness. He could only let it deep inside his mouth, down into the tightness of his throat, trusting to the coiling muscles therein to give Kaname a good squeeze as Zero focused on staying alive until Kaname pulled out.

Air had never tasted so sweet than when he breached the surface and his chest heaved like the bellows of a forge.

"Oi." He growled at Kaname's smirk. "Knock it off."

Kaname was unrepentant. "You were taking too long."

"Too long?" Zero howled in outrage. "I need to breathe you cock sucking bastard."

"Have we not moved past the sexual slurs," Kaname sighed disapprovingly, "Think them through a little more, Zero, please, this is just painful to listen to."

Zero scowled. It was damned unfortunate that all his good curses could be turned back onto him with the raising of an eyebrow. Fuck his profession sideways anyway.

He dove back down and went to work; the sooner he got the bastard off the sooner he could leave. After all this, it had bloody well better be morning out there.

His jaw throbbed. He might very well be the first person to sprain their jaw via blowjob – and it would all be Kaname's fault.

It was a fucking relief when Zero tasted semen on his tongue. He actually groaned with it – his knees were killing him- the vibrations ensuring he had the other vampire's claws in his hair half a second later. He knew what that meant, and swallowed without a fuss.

It wasn't submission – it was free protein.

Yeah, he didn't believe himself either - but he didn't want to drown, and fuck knew that if he'd spat it out, Kaname would have known. Then they wouldn't be going anywhere until Zero had licked his seed out of the tub, or until Kaname was ready for take fucking two followed by take three just to ensure the lesson stuck.

"Not bad," Kaname mused, still lying back, the bastard hadn't even bothered with much thrusting this time, letting Zero do all the work, "A bit sloppy but passable enough."

The sheer indulgence of oxygen had Zero too high to care, but he did manage to give the pureblood a two-fingered salute.

Before he could get another order, Zero was back to his side of the tub, sighing in pleasure. The water was still gloriously hot – even if it was currently stinging in every single open wound he possessed. There was hot water where no hot water ought to venture, but Zero couldn't do anything about it until he healed up again and in the mean time, it was peaceful enough.

"Drink?"

It took a herculean effort for Zero to open his eyes, and once he had, he regretted it. There was a pitcher of something colourful and fruity, full of ice and dripping with condensation – and it hadn't been there twenty minutes ago.

"Exhibition is extra too," Zero rasped.

For fucks sake, that made _three_ times and he hadn't noticed a thing.

Maybe the hunters had had the right idea; he was a fucking disgrace to the creed.

No, no, and no; he wasn't thinking about that.

"Sure, why the fuck not. Please tell me your chamberlain or who-the-fuck-ever is a really old lady with cataracts in both eyes and as deaf as a post."

"Young," Kaname commiserated mockingly, "female, with excellent eyesight and memory, and taste for that matter," he added with a pointed look at Zero's naked form.

Zero took his glass of icy fruit goodness and sunk beneath the water in shame.

He sipped at his drink, because it was free, and found rather uncharitably that it went a long way to soothe his throat – which had been thoroughly fucked raw – and that after another half an hour of lounging in the ever-hot tub, he was confident his legs might actually agree to take his weight sometime this century.

That's when he decided to get out.

"Where are you going?"

"So now you want to chat?" Zero sneered; it had been a wonderful half hour of silence. He took a self-defensive glance south. Kaname wasn't hard or even half hard; he couldn't possibly want more.

"Not right now, no," Kaname said, replying only to the thoughts that must have been visible on his face as Zero refused to live in a world where Kuran fucking Kaname could read his mind.

He took one of the sinfully soft towels and sighed as his knees fell into line, permitting him to hobble towards the door.

"I'll have Mara escort you to your room," Kaname told his back.

Zero stopped, tilting his head to the ceiling and giving it a thorough _fuck you._ Then he glanced at the window, and retracted every unpleasant thought he'd ever had about the divine.

"No need," Zero spun around and beamed cheerfully at the pureblood. The look of alarm on Kaname's face was _so_ worth it.

"Look at that sky." he made an effusive gesture to the window. "What a beautiful morning eh? _Morning._ Time for all good little vampires to be in bed. I'll just be off, no, don't get up," he said retreating to the door on legs that were positively _eager_ now, "I'll find my own way out. Really lovely seeing you once more, not, let's never do it again."

Zero leaped backwards through the bathroom door, doing a jaunty shuffle to the pile of his clothes. Even the sight of the neat pile of freshly washed, dried and ironed clothes sitting pretty on the same antique chair he'd failed to ruin couldn't deter his mood. They were _done_ and it was pizza tonight.

"Zero," Kaname chided _from the other doorway,_ already fully dressed and dry.

Fuck but Kuran could move fast.

"You can barely walk." He sounded smug about that too, fucker. "Sleep here, have breakfast with me tonight too. Give yourself time to heal in comfort and safety."

"I'm good." Zero shrugged on his shirt and hopped about on one foot as he tugged his jeans on, donning the cloth like armour.

"Zero, I know I used you hard, let me take care of you now to make up for it."

"You paid me. We're even."

Kaname's face twisted with displeasure. It sent something skittering inside Zero's mind. His instincts flared. There was something very wrong here. He cast his senses out, hunting.

One pureblood, _right fucking there,_ a dozen B's downstairs, and twenty seven C's scattered about. Said pureblood radiated power like flames emitted heat. He was strong. Zero blinked. Kuran was _really_ strong, he hadn't been around many purebloods, sure, but if he could trust his memory, Kuran would have eclipsed Shizuka easily.

Wait a sec, that wasn't a natural aura – there were tendrils of power spreading from him like an aura of a millions threads – and

"What are you trying to do?"

\- _and,_ they were reaching for him.

Zero took a step back, focused, and took another three. And a half.

Kaname narrowed his eyes. The threads stopped moving.

"Zero, come on, at least sleep for a few hours. It's very late."

"Early," Zero snapped defensively. "The night is over, we're done, you said so yourself."

Kuran was still blocking the doorway, Zero kept one eye on him and the other on the window. He felt trapped and hated it.

Sure, they were at least three stories high, but needs must. He was a vampire; a broken leg was manageable. The guards would be another problem, but he'd worry about that afterwards.

"Actually," Kuran examined his fingernails with mocking casualness. "I believe my exacts words were _until I'm done with you."_

Zero examined his memory – and cursed, loudly, creatively, and repetitively.

"Fascinating," Kaname drawled, "But we did have an agreement. Are you going back on your word?"

Zero wasn't stupid. He didn't have to know what Kaname wanted from him to know it was bad. Kaname wouldn't have resorted to trickery otherwise. It was time to be extraordinarily blunt.

"I do not consent to further sex with you, leech. Or anything else."

Kaname gave him a look that dared to be offended.

"Do you think I'm going to rape you?"

"And here I was thinking it wasn't rape if you're a pureblood," Zero sneered, not bothering to conceal his dislike even as he stuffed the pile of cash into pocket, wishing he dared risk the limited movement to conceal half of it in his shoes.

"I thought it was just theft against Shizuka, and she's dead, as you should _remember."_

"Oh I do."

"No need to sound so fucking happy," Zero snapped, eyeing the doorway behind the pureblood again.

"She was delicious," Kaname continued breathlessly, "And her power certainly came in useful. All that was hers is mine now."

"Oh fuck you," Zero snapped. To the victor goes the spoils – how very vampiric – and as Zero had oh so helpfully reminded Kuran, Zero was considered property in their world. _His_ world. Not Zero's.

"Admittedly I was a trifle busy after Shizuka passed, I did not have the time to see to my… responsibilities as I should have."

"You were going to say inheritance there, weren't you?"

"- _And_ once I'd turned my attention to the matter, you had vanished." Kaname continued, ignoring Zero's interruption entirely, "But I've found you, Zero," Kaname crooned, walking forwards, "and you don't have to worry any more. I'll look after you." He lifted a hand, as if to caress Zero's cheek, but Zero leaned backwards avoiding it with a sharp glare.

"I don't _need_ 'looking after'" Zero made finger quotes, "I do not, in fact, belong to you, Kuran. "

"Technically –"

"-I belong to myself."

"Would it really –"

"It's a thing we humans do."

"You're a –

"-Rights, autonomy, _freedom-"_

There was no warning. One second Zero was as tense as a bowstring in the middle of the room – the next, he was held flat against the wall, Kaname's forearm across his throat, and a thigh between his legs.

"I," Kaname said pleasantly. "Do not like being interrupted."

#

A/N - and the plot continues to invade. Opinion? Plot v smut?


	8. Chapter 8

A/N - Once again, I have so many better things to be doing, but here I am.

#

Well fuck.

Zero just managed to swallow behind the iron bar of Kaname's arm, and realised after a few heart-shrivelling seconds that the choke was not going to kill him. He could still breathe.

He lowered his arms. Clawing at Kaname's grip like an animal wouldn't do anything but piss him off and clearly, the other vampire was already at his limit.

He had a choice to make here. Either he stared Kaname down, and possibly got killed, fucked, or otherwise _put in his place_ like the 'D Kaname wanted – or he gave in, apologised, probably ending up on his knees one way or the other, and hopefully survived with his freedom intact, if not his self-respect.

Well, Zero thought ruefully, when he put it that way –

"I," Zero replied calmly, looking Kaname right in those bloody eyes, "do not like being attacked." His own eyes had a different sort of burn, he knew, defiance. Kaname would not be the first client to get pissed off that their whore wasn't a broken wreck of (in)humanity.

Kaname's return stare was apathetic – and that freaked Zero out a bit. Whatever they were, Kaname had always, always _reacted_ to him. Even when they were children, Kaname had always had something to say to him. At the Academy, Kaname _stopped_ and _looked_ and _saw_ him, when the other vampires had their noses so far in the air that they couldn't see the ground.

This apathy was new and strange and he didn't like it one bit. Was he no longer worth the almighty pureblood's attention now that they'd fucked? The idea pissed him off. A lot.

The tableau held for a full three minutes – Zero kept an uneasy count – before Kaname stepped back, and Zero fell back against the wall, rubbing at his throat, but he didn't take his eyes off of the pureblood.

"Fine," Kaname waved a hand, "Run away."

Zero watched, confused and a little lost, as Kaname blatantly dismissed him from his presence and sat down to work at his desk.

"Were you expecting a tip?"

The scathing tone did it. Zero made a conscious decision to let the pureblood have the last word, and scampered out the door.

Fuck him anyway.

He didn't slam the door behind him – Kaname would be expecting that – he left quietly, easily tracking the path they'd taken back to the foyer, avoiding every vampire with the help of a trick or two he'd picked up with the Hunters and slipping out the first side door that smelled like fresh air.

There were a few roads to choose from once he made it outside and past the moat – fucking purebloods, who needed that much money, seriously – Zero instantly decided he wasn't using the main one and risk going past the guards. God no, Zero could just imagine the scene _that_ would cause.

 _-Hey! Hey you? Yeah I'm talking to you – who the hell are you and what are you doing here?_

 _-Me sir? Oh, I was just leaving; can you open the gate please?_

 _-You're a 'D. What's a 'D doing here – and is that money? Have you been stealing?_

 _-Stealing? No sir, not me, I earned that money._

 _-Oh yeah, that's an awful lot of cash you got. How'd you get it?_

 _-Fucking your boss, you shit head._

 _-Right that's it, lads – grab him, I'm guna call up to the House._

 _-Sir? We caught a 'D on your land, thief by the looks of him – pardon? Oh. No sir, no problem, I'll let him out._

 _-Did ya hear that lads? This 'ere is the Master's whore, fuck, you're an expensive piece of ass aren't you? I wouldn't mind a taste of what the Master like's so much, eh? Come now, pet, no need to be shy…_

Zero gave a full body shudder, and took the road that was in the worst condition, deciding it was the most likely to be some sort of service road or back road. Castle's had those, didn't they? To keep the peasants out of sight from the real guests. Cursed purebloods.

He started jogging, ruthlessly ignoring the bone deep ache that drummed in time with his footsteps, knowing damn well it was going to be hours before he could get back to his crappy apartment and pass the fuck out.

It rained five minutes later, because fuck his life.

#

Zero fumed for three solid days – days because he was rebelling and turning to the sun again – before Mashiro arrived.

"Zero-kun!"

The smug coo was the only warning he got before Mashiro threw open the locked door, using his landlord's key _bastard,_ and sauntered into Zero's bedroom.

Zero was deeply lucky to be awake already and dressed or god knew he'd have woken with Mashiro crawling under the covers.

"Zero-kun, your rent is due," he started with false-sympathy. "I know life is hard for you my sweet, but I'm perfectly willing to come to an alternate arrangement. I – what's this?" the greasy vampire stared down at the cash Zero had thrown, first with bemusement, and then outrage.

"Your rent," Zero replied coolly turning a creased page. "Three fifty. Now when are you going to fix my damned water heater?"

Mashiro trembled with supressed fury, white knuckled around the fistful of cash.

"Where did you get it?" he asked lowly.

"Where'd you think?" Zero snorted.

"You're not worth that much whore, you didn't even have a _twenty_ in your wallet on Wednesday."

"What's it matter to you?" Zero looked up from his book. "One way or another you've got your money now. Bugger off."

"You know, Zero, soon, you're not going to have the money, and you're going to regret not being nice to me then."

He left. Zero shoved a chair under the doorknob and went back to his book.

Rat gargling vampires. Fuck them all.

#

The remaining one fifty was spent fast.

There were the bills, which were a week late already – and they ate up a good chunk of it. Zero was thrifty; he stretched out every last coin to the maximum. He'd dispensed with all luxuries, and was ruthless with himself when it came to energy consumption and water – but he still needed to live, and it all cost money.

He forced himself to add another month's worth onto his account so that he couldn't be tempted to spend it elsewhere.

Food he could scavenge but central heating, his blood tablets, well.

He was back on the street on the fourth night after what he'd privately named That Night with That Bastard.

#

"Hey, Zero, haven't seen you around," Hotaru shivered as he stood next to Zero on 'their' corner, no surprise as he'd foregone Zero's sensible, if tight, jeans for booty shorts that just about ensured he didn't flash anybody bending over.

"Took a break," Zero grunted apologetically.

"Oh? Good." Hotaru clapped his hands together for warmth and blew on them. "Thought Mashiro might have tucked you away in a sex dungeon somewhere."

"Fuck no, and fuck him." Zero snapped back instantly, snarling around his fangs.

Fuck but he wanted a cigarette right now, and fuck it sideways because he never let himself buy a pack before he'd got at least a hundred put away for the rent.

"Yeah, exactly."

Zero snorted. Hotaru was younger than him, and too skinny, but he was a right little shit sometimes. They stuck together because Shizuka had bitten them both, and annoying as it was, that sort of shit mattered, even here; _Especially_ here when the other 'D's had nothing else to jockey over. Besides, Hotaru was a tiny thing, and Zero liked being able to protect him, just a bit. It was almost like he was worth something when he could do that much.

"I'm alright, Hotaru," Zero murmured after a moment, he knew what the other was really asking. The brat had been worried. Normally, if you didn't turn up for a few nights, you weren't coming back. "Just needed a day to myself."

"Or three? You get paid for the battering at least?"

Well, Zero had never said the brat was stupid.

"Yeah," Zero shrugged, and that was the end of that topic. "Everything all right here?"

They got trouble sometimes; Fujiwara's leftovers had a big gang, aristocrats tossing their powers about, law enforcement from either species, people just wanting to start shit, and then there were the usual drunks and the weirdos.

"There's a car been coming around a lot," Hotaru shrugged, which meant he didn't like it at all, "Posh."

Zero very carefully showed no reaction. He liked Hotaru well enough, but there were limits.

Hotaru inclined his head an eighth of an inch, "That one."

Zero flicked his eyes to it without turning his head.

Black. Expensive. One-way glass. Non-descript plates.

"Anyone been over?"

"Stacey."

Zero raised an eyebrow in query and Hotaru gave a one-shoulder shrug.

"Nothing. Didn't even roll the window down."

Zero wondered if it was Kaname inside or one of his minions spying instead as Kuran must have better things to do. How the hell had he made his fortune anyway? He hoped it was the blonde brat. That one had always been such a good errand boy – was he still eager to obey Kuran's every fucking whim when it involved spying on whores? How the fuck had Kaname explained this to him? Of course, he realised an instant later, Kuran didn't _need_ to explain himself. He spoke, they obeyed.

Bugger the bastard on a bed of nails – now he'd gotten Zero _thinking_ about him.

That shit just wasn't going to happen. Kaname had had his fun; Zero had been paid, and so they were _done_. He wasn't going to be a part of any more of Kuran's schemes, nor was he going to even _think_ about his stupid offer.

Was he actually supposed to believe Kuran give two shits about Shizuka's 'responsibilities?' With Hotaru bearing the same bite on his neck, and still standing right next to him?

Ha. As if.

Zero wasn't stupid. Shizuka had just been an excuse, and probably a way to off-balance him too – which meant the bastard's real target was _him._

Rule of life: Whatever a pureblood wanted, Zero most definitely didn't.

A battered Toyota pulled up – regular customer that one – and Hotaru vanished into it after a half-minute's negotiation at the window. Good, that was him as safe as could be if this went bad.

Zero half expected the other car to do something now that he was alone in his section – but it didn't.

One of Stacey's girls tried another walk-by, slowly, but nothing came of that either, and the girl reported back to Stacey – whose territory was a small bar slash brothel on the other side of the street - with a shrug.

Realising he was giving Kaname his attention _again,_ Zero focused on his fucking job, and when a man wondered by, staggering out of one of the clubs looking for a quickie, Zero took him down the alley opposite that fucking car so that Kaname got a good view of Zero going to his knees.

Clearly, the bastard needed _proof_ that Zero didn't fucking belong to him – or anyone else – and twenty minutes later, with a single bill hidden down his sock for his trouble, the car was gone.

Thank fucking god.

Hopefully that would be the end of it.

#

Mashiro came to fix the water heater the next night, just as Zero was heading out.

He leered - to which Zero rolled his eyes.

"Whoring again, Zero? How much are you going for these nights anyway?"

"Do you care as long as you get paid?" Zero retorted, folding his arms as he watched Mashiro so some actual fucking work for once. He took careful note of what the other vampire was doing, in case he could learn anything for the next time the dratted thing broke down, and in case Mashiro messed around with anything he didn't need to –Zero wouldn't put anything past him.

"No," Mashiro replied, taking out a wrench. "But you just let me know if you're going to fall short this month. You know I have a soft spot for you."

Hard spot more likely.

"Uh huh."

Whenever Mashiro got like that, Zero did his best to avoid saying anything _too_ confrontational. He really didn't want to fuck the bastard, but there was no need to make it a challenge, or an insult that Mashiro got het up about. He was Zero's landlord after all, and had a myriad of ways to make his life difficult if he put his mind to it.

The grope to his arse on the way out of the door was unexpected – Zero hadn't seen it coming in time – but it was nothing since Zero could now take a hot shower to wash the memory of the sensation away.

Well, lukewarm. After feeling what Kuran was getting every night Zero couldn't honestly call the water _hot_ anymore. Fucking bastard, found ways to mess with Zero even days later.

Still, it meant nothing.

Independence was worth a little discomfort. Zero had a roof over his head, central heating that worked, clothes on his back, and food in his belly. He had nothing to complain about. He wouldn't want to live in a castle any way. Think of the heating bills.

Dinner might be a cheap multipack of own-brand plain noodles, but hey, at least he'd scored some shredded veggies on their sell-by date at a fraction of their normal price to go with them, and with one of the free little soy sauce packets you could filch from anywhere, it wasn't half bad either.

It wasn't roasted duck with orange, a French title and silver service, but it wasn't bad. He was doing just fine.

#

The car was back the next night.

"What the fuck?" Hotaru asked, sauntering over to Zero's patch. The damn thing was the furthest thing from inconspicuous in the neighbourhood and more than one of the lads had been eyeing it warily in case of trouble.

"Not a fucking clue," Zero replied, pulling out a cigarette and puffing defiantly. He'd needed the boost after depressing himself yesterday. He knew Kaname had hated the taste and scent of the smoke so when he blew out, he aimed for his shirt in petty defiance to a memory.

Inspiration was a mean, cruel thing. "Try knocking on the window," Zero said nonchalantly, "Maybe it's cock he wants."

Now Zero would get to see what Kaname did with another of 'Shizuka's messes'.

Hotaru did actually give it a go – undoubtedly the thought of money over rode any earlier hesitation. He looked exceptionally small as he crossed the road and rapped on the glass. To Zero's immense surprise, the window rolled down an inch. He couldn't make Kaname out through the darkened glass, and he couldn't sense anything either, but Zero knew it was him by the clenching of his gut and from the way the hairs on the back of his neck stiffened in outrage.

He pretended for two seconds that he wasn't going to listen to their conversation.

 _"Looking for something?"_ Hotaru asked coyly. _"Of if you just like to watch, I can work with that too."_

Kuran's voice was indecipherable. Fucking pureblood doing something freaky, Zero was certain of it. No way he was silent that close to Zero. Bastard must know Zero was eavesdropping. He could only hear Hotaru's side of the conversation. It wasn't helpful.

 _"Yeah."_ Uncertainty.

 _"Alright."_ Resignation.

Zero watched, astounded, as Hotaru climbed into the other side of car and they drove off. Just like that.

Kaname fucking Kuran, Zero seethed. He did that deliberately, the bastard, bastard, _bastard_.

He didn't feel quite so sanguine when Hotaru returned, four hours later, in a different car, with visible bruises on his face, wrists and neck.

"Fuck man," Zero greeted, startled. "Are you OK? Well shit, of course you're not - you need any help getting back? Medical aid? I've got some supplies tucked away."

"Nah," Hotaru replied hoarsely, limping back to his spot. "It's fine, Zero, the John said what he wanted to do. These," he gestured to the bruises, "are all bought and paid for."

Suddenly, Zero got it. This was a message. He'd involved Hotaru in their game, and Kaname made him pay for it.

Whatever was going on, it was between the two of them alone – and clearly, it was not over yet.

He wished Kaname had hit him instead.

Fucking bastard.

#

On the seventh night, there was no car. Zero was not disappointed. He was relieved. Relieved, god dammit, do you hear me? _Relieved_.

#

For the next three weeks, Zero didn't see hide nor hair of Kuran, his minions, or that fucking car.

He went to the library, he rummaged through charity shops for some decent shoes, and he searched for a better apartment and job, failed, tried again. He did his grocery shopping twenty minutes before the shop shut to get the discount food.

He fretted over the rent.

Fuck it; he _knew_ he shouldn't have got those cigarettes.

"Everything alright, Zero?" Hotaru asked. "You're pale."

"Rent," Zero grunted. "Mashiro."

"You know, if you just fucked him, you could work out a discount. Or hey, he might let you live there for free. It's not like he doesn't own the whole block."

"No."

"Are you playing hard to get? I suppose it drives your price up, but he'll only be a twat about it when you eventually give in. Best just to get it over with."

"Fuck off, Hotaru."

The boy went, huffy, and Zero rolled his eyes. He'd pay for that tomorrow, he just knew it. He already regretted it. The long waiting went much faster when he had a friend to bitch about it to.

And that was when he saw the car, parked just out of range of a streetlight.

There was no way Kaname hadn't just heard that entire conversation.


	9. Chapter 9

Fuck his life, seriously.

Zero glared, gritted his fangs, and stalked over. He didn't bother with fucking negotiation. Kaname _knew_ he had him. Either Zero went with him, or Kaname would scare off everybody else, or some other fucking master plan to take advantage of a careless word.

The bastard always got what he wanted after all.

He opened the passenger door – knowing damn well it'd be unlocked – and climbed in, slamming it shut behind him and locking it himself, before Kaname could do it to freak him out.

"Fuck you so much, Kuran," Zero snarled. "Any hint of fucking biting me or any of those creepy ass powers of yours and I'm jumping out the fucking window. Clear?"

"Mmm, Zero," Kaname smirked, "talk dirty to me."

"Fuck. You."

They drove off.

"I am not getting out of this car until I hear a 'Yes, Zero, I understand, I absolutely pinky-swear promise not to bite you, or use any of my freaky ass powers on you.'"

"Demanding, aren't you, pet? What if I wanted to take you in this car? You wouldn't have to get out at all."

"Kuran. I swear to god I'll dive out the windscreen if I have to."

"Oh but what about your rent?" Kaname said sweetly.

Zero spoke through his teeth. "I'll sell a kidney."

Kaname smiled, but it was not a concession. "Agreed, Zero. No biting tonight, not even if you beg me for it."

Well that didn't sound ominous at all now did it? He soldiered on.

"The word 'tonight' disturbs me. They'll be no biting at dawn either, or at any point during our…liaison. Or after it. Or at all, forever, for eternity."

"I won't bite you tonight, or tomorrow, no matter the circumstances, nor will I consume or store any of blood of yours that is shed tonight, or tomorrow, I give you my word."

Zero was pretty sure Kaname had only added those conditions to highlight that Zero _hadn't_ and that he was the fucking grandmaster of loopholes. Nothing in there prevented Kaname from trying again _next time._

Not that there'd _be_ a next time. Zero just needed his money.

Kuran was hands down, his best customer. Either the pureblood had no idea how much it actually cost to buy someone like him, or he was just so fucking rich that a few hundred was a pittance and therefore a perfectly reasonable price for a streetwalker; his worldview must be really fucking skewed. As if Zero didn't know that already.

Well whatever, Zero certainly wouldn't be the one to tell him he was vastly overpaying. Besides, he deserved it for putting up with his crap.

"Agreed. Now where the fuck are we going?"

They were not heading in the same direction as last time.

"One of my penthouses."

New was bad.

"Why?" Zero asked suspiciously, thinking uncomfortable thoughts about sex dungeons and why Kuran might want privacy all of a sudden.

"My staff made you uncomfortable last time," Kaname said offhandedly. "The city penthouse only has a cleaner who comes in twice a week, and a cook on request."

"I was not uncomfortable," Zero lied fervently, "but normal people care if somebody sees them fucking. It's awkward, an invasion of privacy and _really fucking weird."_

Kaname actually laughed, the wanker.

"We are not ' _people'_ Zero."

Zero gave that the attention it deserved and ignored it. He was so.

"Besides," Kaname just had to rub it in, "You didn't even notice Mara in the room."

"I was a little busy at the time! And why the fuck am I even defending myself to you? This doesn't need defending, it's _obvious._ "

The apartment building _also_ had a security team on the garage entrance, which made Zero roll his eyes, but they let Kaname's car pass without a fuss, and then it was into the lift, requiring both a card and a code.

"These so-called fans of yours can _not_ be that dangerous," Zero said.

"If I didn't guard my privacy, I wouldn't be able to have you without a dozen vampires knowing it inside an hour."

"So now you care about privacy?" Zero snapped. "Fucking double standards."

"And," Kaname continued, talking over him entirely, "half of them would then buy you for interrogation, to discover what I'm really doing with you."

"It's pretty fucking obvious."

"Too obvious," Kaname corrected, "so it must be a blind. The _other_ half would kill you to piss me off."

Vampire politics. Got to love 'em. Thank god, he was entirely out of that shit. Talk about a fucking silver lining.

Kaname's penthouse was naturally, exquisite. More modern than his fucking castle, it was full of glass, steel and leather. Zero was also pretty sure that he'd seen the painting on the wall in a museum once.

He knew which one he'd bet on to be real.

Keys clattered into a bowl, and then there was the rustle of fabric. Zero's heart went galloping off to the races, and he instantly regretted coming here. Tonight, they dove straight in, apparently. Fuck, fuck, _fuck_.

"I want six hundred this time," Zero told Kaname flatly to cover his nerves.

"Extortionist," Kaname praised, taking off his tie. "Three hundred."

Zero glared. "You think I get cheaper because you've already fucked me?"

"I think you're desperate," the corner of his lips twitched. Zero felt a violent and immediate urge to punch it off his face and then kiss it better. What the _fuck_ was wrong with him. "I think that gives me the better hand at the table."

"Six," Zero held his ground. "For the trauma and the therapy."

Kaname laughed, putting his jacket over the back of a chair. "Zero darling, if you thought last time was traumatic, you're going to need a straight jacket tomorrow. Actually," there was a worrying pause, "I'm sure I've got one of those around here somewhere, if you'd like to roleplay."

Zero rolled his eyes and kicked off his shoes. No kink or fetish was going to intimidate him.

"I took three fucking days to heal last time. You owe me."

Kaname scrutinised him as he drew out his belt, setting it aside on the counter. Zero glanced at it, and then away, casually, casually.

Hotaru's wrists had been in a right state. When Zero had finally been allowed to see what he could do for the brat, it had become pretty fucking clear that he'd been tied up.

"Four hundred," Kaname finally allowed, "and if you're very good, I'll give you a tip."

Zero narrowed his eyes, suspicion rearing it's ugly head. "Define very good."

"Cry when I whip you."

#

A/N - Short, I know, but this really was the best place to break it... hope it at least managed to whet your appetites.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N - And I really did mean to work on my other VK fic this week.

#

* * *

 _No kink or fetish was going to intimidate him._ Zero mentally repeated before he could react in any way that would only please the fucking pureblood.

"Kinks are extra, Kuran, and if you break it you buy it. Six hundred, nothing permanent, and for the record," Zero added with a sneer, "I can't cry on demand."

He knew he'd made it a challenge. He also knew challenges would only entice Kaname – but damn if he wasn't going to bleed the bastard for all he could get. Pun intended.

"Four hundred, six if you cry for me."

Kaname was _such_ a bastard. He'd turned the challenge around. Either Zero sacrificed even more pride for cash, or he took the lower offer. No matter the outcome, Kaname would win.

Well fuck it, Zero decided. Four hundred was plenty. Besides, Kaname would have to buy him for another night if he wanted to try again – and he'd been living this life too long to ignore the mercenary side of his mind that was always running the numbers.

Kaname had a longer game in mind than two nights. Whores just didn't rate this much of a pureblood's time and attention. Why shouldn't he profit from it for as long as he could?

Not that he _wanted_ Kaname to come back – but money was money, and the bastard was way too fucking rich. There would be a third encounter at least, and that was another month's rent in the bag right there.

"Done," Zero scowled.

Kaname grinned, so fucking pleased with himself that Zero knew instantly he'd made a mistake somewhere, and turned to a sideboard where a crystal decanter was waiting.

"Strip naked for me then, pet. Drink?"

Zero casually unbuttoned his shirt. "Make it a double," he ordered as he pulled his arms out. "I'll need it to deal with you and stop calling me pet for fuck's sake. We both know you weren't the one who bit me."

Soft laughter grated on his ears as the shirt landed on the counter, shortly followed by belt, socks, jeans and underwear as Zero obediently stripped with motions as perfunctory as he could manage. Only when he was butt naked did the bastard hand over a glass that was too heavy to actually _be_ glass, full of something expensive, strong, and vaguely purple in colour.

"What the fuck is this?" Zero asked giving it a whiff. "Are you fucking trying to drug me? I just _said_ kinks were extra."

"I'm going to have so much fun teaching you the finer points of our way of life," Kaname mused, eyes sparking with pure sadism. "This is _Dedalera."_

Seeing his confusion, Kaname added dryly, "Vampiric alcohol."

"Huh," Zero replied, and knocked it back. Not bad; sweet, a vaguely floral taste.

Kaname _looked_ at him, and Zero beamed. "Let me guess. That was really expensive, more than me, and blah blah blah."

"Quite," Kaname replied, his expression shifting noticeably as he went from banter to _appreciation._ His gaze fell like lashes of flame as he looked over his… entertainment for the evening. Zero became hyper aware of every hair on his body, that, thanks to Kaname's current perversion was fully on display.

Kaname sat down on a leather wing backed chair that had a view over the entire city, his own glass in hand, with a much more modest amount of violet liqueur still in it.

"Please tell me that window is some of that one-way only crap," Zero said, brushing past Kaname's to chair to sit, without being asked because he didn't give a fuck, on the other one. If Kuran wanted him parading about naked tonight, that was just fine with him. He didn't care if anyone who looked up could see them. It was Kuran's name on the lease.

"Have any other men had you tonight?"

"None of your fucking business." Zero replied instantly, pleased to be able to piss Kaname off so early in the evening.

Kaname smiled that creepy smile again; the one that Zero knew meant _you are so adorable when you swear at me._ Zero returned it with a smile that said _Fuck. You._

"How many have tried to drug you?"

Zero's smile grew wider. _Sideways._

Kaname pursed his lips, and changed tactics.

"Sit on my lap." He took a tiny sip and turned glittering eyes onto Zero, watching with a hawk's intensity.

Zero rolled his eyes, knowing damn well this was some power play or another – Kaname couldn't have said that _before_ Zero had already sat down now could he? Nevertheless, he did as asked, hauling himself up and sauntering over to the pureblood, tossing his hair back, he slid into position, thighs spread over Kaname's, feet wedged down the sides for balance, and a teasing hand on Kaname's shoulder as he drew himself in.

"Happy now?" He murmured, taking Kaname's glass from him – ignoring the raised eyebrow his breach of etiquette got – and finishing the drink off. Hmm. He could grow to like the stuff, but he just wanted to _get on with it._

Kaname rested both hands lightly on Zero's hips, tracing idle patterns as he stared up at him through lidded eyes.

Zero smirked and bent his neck, brushing their lips together in the slightest possible caress – and grinned when Kaname leapt for his lips, pulling Zero into a proper snog.

He broke off with a gasp as a cold finger found his entrance and pushed inside to the last knuckle.

"Fuck! Give a guy some warning." Zero cried, shifting uncomfortably on his perch. Kaname's hands were _cold_.

"Nice and tight, Zero, no men tonight?"

"Vampires, humans," Zero shrugged. "Male, female, old, young-"

Kaname hissed lowly, and Zero felt the first stirrings of unease. He'd seen what happened when a pureblood got jealous – before the Hunters had kicked him out – and it wasn't pretty.

"I'm here now, aren't I?" Heading him off without admitting anything was the most of a concession Zero would ever make.

Kaname removed his finger, hands returning to their grip on his hips – far more possessive now, and said, "Speaking of kinks, how much would exclusivity cost me?"

They were back to this shit already? Fuck it all.

"Not a chance." Zero made as if to get up and Kaname's hands turned into iron shackles for all the give in them. _Stay put._ Zero reluctantly settled back down, grumbling loudly and earned Kaname's shark smile for his efforts; cold, full of fangs, and all predator.

"The terms have changed," Kaname soothed.

"I still don't care."

"I wouldn't require you to move out of your… home, nor would I cut you off from your… friends," Kaname began, delicately, "I would, however, cover all of your expenses and provide a monthly allowance. In return, all I ask for is your fidelity, and, naturally, your carnal services."

Despite his best intentions, Zero found his traitorous brain considering it.

He'd had an entire month to fume over the first offer – and that added up to a lot of hours just thinking _what if?_

And well, he was tired.

Tired of his crappy apartment, tired of being treated like shit, and so, so tired of the stress, of _worrying_ over every coin, of having to deny himself comfort again and again in favour of survival.

Tired of not being able to look at himself in the mirror.

Kaname was a bastard, there was no denying that, but he wasn't cruel, not really. Zero had never doubted that the first offer was genuine; if he said yes, Kaname would sweep in and fix everything and Zero would be able to relax – but for how long?

What about when Zero was no longer young and pretty?

Kuran would live forever, and Zero… wouldn't.

He'd age, weaken and sicken. There'd be all sorts of embarrassing and disgusting problems as his body failed bit by bit and that was natural – for a human. For a vampire, imperfection was more like leprosy and all the stigma that implied.

Kaname wasn't shallow, as such, but well, would he really put up with that? Would Zero be retired out to pasture somewhere far away with a nurse for company? Or would he be kicked out the door with the first wrinkle?

And then what? No job, no work experience, no work history, no permanent address, no documentation, heck not even his looks by that point. He'd be in a worse position than he started with.

And if Zero gave in, if he stopped being a challenge, whose to say that Kuran wouldn't get bored long before then? When the thrill of fucking that upstart 'D ran out? When he ran out of old fantasies to fulfil? What would be left then? Zero had no illusions that there was any affection on Kaname's part that would keep Zero in room and board.

But on the other hand, Zero knew his time was limited. He was an unstable D. He'd held off the madness pretty well so far, at least, he thought he had, but he'd been a Hunter long enough to know the statistics. D's never died of old age.

Why shouldn't he accept what luxury he could, whilst he could? For god's sake, he didn't have much time left.

Except, if his life really was going to be that short – shouldn't he make it mean as much as he could?

He'd be a kept man. There were worse things to be, certainly, a lot of women were in similar situations even if they called it something else, but Zero wanted more than that. He'd have to give up so much - his faint chances of a real relationship and love not to mention his self-respect and independence.

He'd be utterly reliant on Kaname – and what would Zero have left of himself?

Nothing worth having.

"No," Zero said resolutely. Kaname frowned.

"How about-"

Zero put a finger over Kaname's lips, gently. " _No,_ Kaname," he said, serious. "It could never work. You'd make me give up smoking for one," he added to lighten the mood.

Kaname's mouth twisted, "Another time then."

Yep. There would definitely be a third encounter. Knew it. Zero's thoughts derailed entirely when Kaname drew the finger over his lips into his mouth and sucked, hard.

Heat, pressure, slick and pulsing – Zero shuddered at the sheer level of insinuation Kaname could pack into a few wet swipes of his tongue.

A really very talented tongue, if he just – yes – and -

He felt it when Kaname's mouth drew up into a smile as he let him go, pressing a kiss to the inside of his wrist instead.

Then he gave Zero's rear a pointed smack.

"Up. Face the window, hands on the glass, feet apart."


	11. Chapter 11

He'd been serious about the S&M? Bugger. Zero had had a faint hope that that had just been another ploy of some kind – a threat, trying to embarrass him, put him off balance maybe – but apparently Kaname really did want to break out the whips and chains.

Eugh.

Still, Kaname _was_ paying for it, so what the fuck ever.

He still wasn't going to cry though.

"Have you done this before?"

"Obviously," Zero drawled, "You'd be _amazed_ at how many people feel more secure asking for kinky sex from a whore than with their real partners."

Zero half expected a reprimanding lash for that one – the belt was already in his hand after all and you couldn't say he hadn't earned it – but instead he got reassurance.

"You _are_ a real partner, Zero."

Oh no. Not happening. Nuh uh. Not on his watch.

"We are never having that conversation," Zero insisted. Loudly. "Now, flog me or fuck me, but hurry the fuck up, it's fucking cold in here."

Kaname was not a hesitant vampire.

"We'll start with the belt. Do your best to hold still. I wouldn't want to draw blood accidentally."

"Oh well as long as it's _accidental,"_ Zero scoffed. He braced as instructed though, because he had, in fact, done this before.

"I _did_ give you my word," Kaname affected a wounded tone – and the first blow fell.

Zero felt a moment of fear. Kaname was a pureblood, he was incredibly strong, _super(in)human_ levels of strong – he could probably pulverise Zero's _spine_ with a single stroke and –

-a _whoosh_ of leather–

- _Snap-Crack_ and _pain_.

Zero flinched reflexively, and then relaxed, letting out a long steady breath as he adjusted, rocking backwards slightly and letting his weight rest on his whole foot. That hadn't been too bad. Nowhere near the level Kaname was capable of truly dishing out and it really was just a belt. Soft leather, no less than three fingers wide and hey, bonus, he wasn't even getting the buckle end.

This would not be one of those sessions that ended _really badly._

The first lash was always a bit of a shock to the system. Rather like being scalded with boiling water – there was the rush of sensation – a moment – did I really? – oh – _OW._

Ow indeed. Zero could already feel the welt rising across his back, throbbing with excess fluid as cells caved in to mush, but the heat was almost welcome. Zero hadn't been kidding; it really was cold in here.

More importantly, no scent of blood.

Kaname let the echoes of the first lash fade, probably waiting to see if Zero would scream – and then struck again.

Zero didn't flinch away this time. There was a certain rhythm to a good thrashing – a push and pull – that let him anticipate the pain and move into it. If Kaname kept it at this level, this even steady keel, he could cope.

Walking tomorrow would be a problem, but he'd have the money to give himself a night off, and buy some proper blood from the hospital for once, if he could stomach it, to help with the healing. He'd have to sleep on his front too, and forego shirts, but there were worse things in life.

He rested his forehead against the cold glass – and the view really was quite conveniently distracting – settling in for the long haul.

Zero was certain Kaname wouldn't limit himself to one round, and whatever his agenda was this time, Zero knew he'd need his strength for it.

 _Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh._

Why did Kaname go in for dominance games anyway? Zero mused as he winced and grunted his way through the next few blows. He was already the vampire-cat-equivalent of the alpha male wherever he went. It would make more sense if he wanted to turn the tables in private – but then again, Kaname wasn't the sort of person to get stressed out by responsibility. He'd never need that sort of release, so he must just honestly like this. Why Zero though? Any vampire would grab ankle if Kaname cared to ask and –

 _Whoosh_.

Revenge for saying no? Wearing down his defences to get him to say yes? Working out some frustration? Retaliation for past insults? Or just sexual preference?

 _Whoosh._

Zero tossed his head back and grunted, breaking out into a full body sheen of sweat and shivered. Mistake. His back was swollen past the point of allowing that much flexibility in his skin. He felt like he was going to burst open if he moved wrong.

 _Whoosh._

"You know," Kaname murmured, stepping forward and caressing the marks he'd made, "I think you should count for me."

"What's the matter? Can't keep track?" Zero rasped, god he wanted some water.

"The picture you make Zero, it's _gorgeous_. I," there were lips at his neck, "can hardly focus," breath in his ear, "when you," a body pressed tightly up against his and _ow,_ "look so wanton for me."

Zero's laugh was strangled, but genuine.

"Wanton? Oh come on Kaname, I'm not a regency romance here. Get on with it, if this is really what gets you off." He bucked his hips backwards to feel and – yep – Kuran was deeply interested in this.

"I've forgotten what number we're on," Kaname replied viciously as he stepped back – a draft of cool air over Zero's back igniting another painful shiver. "I suppose we'll just have to start from the beginning again."

Like he hadn't seen _that_ one coming. Next he'd have to say please and thank you too.

"Let me guess," Zero drawled, glad he didn't have to look at Kaname right now, it helped tremendously in keeping his voice light and cheerful, "No safeword either."

"Why, Zero, it's almost like you read my mind."


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N - Thanks for all the fantastic reviews :) #_

 _#_

 _Whoosh._

"One."

Kaname never struck the same place twice.

The pain was all a jumbled up mess of _ow that really fucking hurts_ and _ow, that really,_ really _fucking hurts_ in his mind- the blows individually indistinguishable from one another apart from the count - but he still managed to keep it together.

He knew better that to lose his head around Kaname.

The first lash had fallen across his shoulders, right under the neck, and with every stroke Kaname had worked his way down. Slow, steady and methodical.

Horizontal whipping? Yeah, Kaname was no amateur. There was less than a millimetre between the stripes, by the feel of it, and again, _ow._

He just hoped it meant they were done when Kaname got to his arse.

Presumably, that couldn't be _too_ injured if Kaname wanted to use it tonight but who the fuck could really know? The pureblood _definitely_ went in for a side of pain with his pleasure and optimism wasn't exactly a safe habit in Zero's line of work.

"Thirty."

He would _kill_ for a glass of water. Ice cold and just dripping with condensation. It would feel like sin as it glided over his tongue and down, down, _down_ his aching throat.

The next blow didn't come on time– and Zero murmured a vague noise of confusion to the glass, feeling hazy and disconnected from the world. Fuck, what had been _in_ that drink?

"Stubborn aren't you, pet."

Kuran.

"Mmm? Oh, are you still here?" Zero told the window, eyes firmly closed and most of his weight pressed against the steamed glass. Anybody looking up was going to get an eyeful and no mistake.

-He could really go for some blood right now -

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. No. No Blood. He pressed his forehead against the glass and used the pressure of it to fucking _focus_. No blood. Blood is disgusting. Blood is sick. Blood is wrong.

Kaname's blood was fucking perfect though.

Fuck.

Bad Zero. No. Kuran's fucking cursed blood was fucking _cursed._ Don't even _think_ of his blood and _especially_ not with the prick _himself_ in the fucking room. You can't have it. Not that you want it. He'd kill you. Not that it wouldn't be worth it.

"Ignoring me, Zero? Well, we can't have that now, can we, pet."

Sometimes, Zero wished he knew stronger swear words.

#

The instant Kaname spoke there were _beautifully cold_ hands roaming all over his ruined back with possessive appreciation and suddenly all Zero could smell was Kuran's blood, hidden away under that skimpy layer of skin. Blood he _remembered_ with painfully perfect precision. The taste of it had been literally mind blowing. The pleasure so intense thought itself had been obliterated. It had been… the best-goddamned night of his _life_. A spark of divinity in his mouth and – fuck.

Zero groaned aloud, hands fisting on the glass above his head as he tried to bury his head into it. The bloodlust was awful. His thirst felt like it was alive, primal need blazing in his throat, sending tsunamis of hormones and instincts and _come on just go for it_ up into his head. Fighting it took all of his concentration.

He was better than this, he really, really was.

-Except that Kaname was right behind him. Touching him. That eternally beating heart was being a right tease. Each beat sent a fresh wave of ambrosia through that fragile body and it was so close. Each wave pumped that scent straight into Zero's brain and if he could just _taste –_

Too caught up in fighting his own head, his body gave out on him. The pattern had broken, and his knees were weak. Zero began to sink to the floor – and Kuran caught him because he was a sadist like that.

His posh clothes were like a grater on his skin, but even that new pain was nothing compare to the craving Zero suffered when Kaname pulled him back to lean on him – bringing him too close and not close enough to that gorgeous blood.

"Let go Kuran," Zero rasped immediately, slapping the hands on his waist away. "I'm not a fainting maiden here. It was just pins and needles, _let go of me."_

He kept his eyes closed, knowing all too well they'd be a demonic shade of red as the monster surged inside of his skin. No need to guess what Kaname would do if he saw _that._

Kaname ignored him, which infuriated Zero all over again. Here he was trying to _save the bastard_ when his good intentions got shat over and it wouldn't be _his fault_ if Zero just turned around and had a quick nip now would it –

Fuck fuck fuck.

He risked a peek under the cover of his eyelashes.

The window's reflection said Kaname was in no state to be looking at his eyes. Oh no, the purebloods attention was entirely on his back. Those eyes were glittering with appreciation for the bruised and mottled mess.

"You took that beautifully pet."

His scent was otherworldly. Oh god, that need again. It was so much worse than Zero remembered. The weighty knowledge that just one sip, and all his pain would vanish, that he'd be in an ecstasy beyond heaven, beyond anything in the known galaxy with just a drop, made it so much harder to resist.

He'd never mock the pining of other vampires for Kuran ever again. God how he wanted to just -

"Let go," Zero repeated more urgently. They were too close. It was too much. His fangs were emerging, beginning to scrape his lower lip and he _wouldn't give in._ He was not a monster. He was not an animal. He was not ruled by instinct. He was his own master and he would. Not. Surrender.

 _For god's sake_ , he argued with himself furiously as he struggled, _you wouldn't even get_ _close_. _There's no point_ _lusting after him like a bitch in heat, he'll break our fangs and make us eat them and then torture us horribly. Have some dignity._

It helped, a little, but blood lust didn't care for logic.

Kaname released the grip on his waist – and Zero fell forward a step, face first into the glass. He shivered. The window was _ice_ against his flushed cheeks but his back might have well been bathed in acid it burned so much and bloodlust tore through him and he was starving and – it was too much for one body to feel.

He'd stopped losing an argument against himself though, so, you know, bonus.

The world blurred as he was spun about – and suddenly it was his back being flash-frozen and pushed tightly up against it and _oh, god_ that was a whole new hurt, but it shocked his system enough to give him a breather.

"No tears?" Kaname put a finger under his chin and pulled Zero's head up, tilting his head from this way to that, examining his face under the light. Zero kept his eyes shut and the nausea down. His back, oh god, that burned too cold.

"A pity, a true pity." He stroked Zero's cheekbones, tenderly, one hand to his face, the other flat against his chest, pinning him to the wall like the butterfly under a collector's pins.

Zero mustered all of his willpower to keep his voice at a human decibel, his fangs concealed, and to remember what language was.

"Fuck off."

"Well, never mind," Kaname mused with a faintly martyred air, "there's still time. Can you walk?"

" _Fuck_ _off_."

Kaname dropped his support and Zero _did not_ stagger.

"My bedroom is down that corridor. Go lie face down on the bed."

Zero went, grateful for the chance to pull together. Anger was better than bloodlust and he focused on that above all else, trying to distract his slavering instincts with something else to fuel their obsession.

His shuffled along in a halting gait, painfully slow and cursing Kaname with every breath, trying to work up a good solid rant for his armour.

Seriously, this was an apartment, _why_ was there even a fucking corridor? What was wrong with a one-roomed studio? The rest of them managed just fine. Think of the wasted space.

He stumbled again, but caught his grip on the moulding. His knees had been locked for so long to keep him upright that he couldn't seem to unlock them again, so he walked like a marionette instead, using his arms to push and pull himself along.

Fucking vampire and his fucking fetishes.

He tried to keep his back as immobile as possible to help the healing along – and reduce the pain to mere agony – but it was fucking impossible to move at the same time – and then he fucking tripped again.

This time, he landed with a fluffy thump onto the predictably gigantic bed, his head over one end, and his legs another, but whatever. Good enough. Kaname could fuck him right here and he wouldn't have to move an inch for it.

A few minutes passed and nothing happened.

His back throbbed in time with his heart and his throat echoed it. Fervently.

OK, Zero thought, he could admit it – this really sucked.

In his head, he knew that he'd heal perfectly. He wouldn't even get a scar for a keepsake. Kaname had been careful enough – as such things went. Zero knew the score; movement would be agony for a night or four, depending on how much blood he could stomach after they were done here. Then he'd be swollen and tender for a few more nights, and then he'd just be sore – and irritable, because he knew himself well.

In his heart, he was uneasy. He was too vulnerable; weak, thirsty, and he hated it. It didn't matter how many times he told himself that Kaname had had both the chance and the capacity to kill him a thousand times when they were younger and he'd never done it. He reminded himself that Kaname hadn't even hit him when Zero had been a child and stabbed him with a fucking butter knife for god's sake. He was safer here than in his own fucking apartment. Kaname still wanted to fuck him – and he wasn't going to snuff Zero out before he got his.

He still felt like he was a Hunter showing a pureblooded vampire his belly. It felt… monumentally stupid.

Kaname wasn't cruel by nature or anything, well, not the really mean spirited shit anyway – but he wasn't to be trusted either.

He was a predator – and he treated Zero like prey. Being wounded around him – well, that was just asking for it, wasn't it?

"How do you feel about photographs?"


	13. Chapter 13

Zero jumped, flinched as he jerked his back about, and cursed loudly into the duvet for his troubles. Fucking _vampires_. He hadn't heard a thing. Then he flinched _again_ as his Hunter senses loudly reported the sudden presence of a pureblooded vampire, half a minute too fucking late to be of any use.

Only _after_ the pulsing cascade of pain faded _,_ did Zero register what Kaname had actually said.

"I fucking knew it," Zero howled, spitting cotton out of his mouth, "I _knew_ you'd spring something out of the fucking blue." He forced his arms under him and propped himself up so that he could meet Kuran's eyes. "Absolutely not, Kuran. What the fuck do you want them for?" He paused, mind spinning hazily, "Wait, don't answer that – blackmail right? Well sit on a stake and _swivel,_ you utter prat."

Kaname – who'd had time to disrobe somewhere between the lounge and the bedroom – sat on the edge of the mattress, at a right angle to Zero's splayed form. He reached out a hand – Zero tensed – and traced one of his welts with the lightest possible touch. In fact, Zero would almost call it _reverent._ That was so fucking disturbing, that he instantly repressed the memory.

"I want to immortalise the picture you make here, Zero. Do you have any idea how you look? No, of course you don't."

Kaname's smile was almost sad. "You must know you're beautiful."

He didn't like this. He didn't like it at all, so Zero shrugged, heavily, deliberately inciting a fresh wave of pain from neck to coccyx, neatly erasing the sensation of delicate hands on his overly sensitive flesh.

"It pays the bills – speaking of, would you just fucking get on with said fucking already? I actually have other things to do tonight."

"It's a true pity that no ink will ever capture your spirit. I'd paint a portrait if I thought you'd lie still long enough."

"Kinks are extra," Zero repeated for what felt like the thousandth time, "And you have to burn it afterwards where I can roll in the fucking ashes. God knows what you really want with it."

"I was thinking of hanging it above the fireplace in Kuran Castle."

Zero snorted and flopped back down, keep a single wary eye on his client whilst the rest of him tried to recover.

"Which room?"

Kaname's reply was too swift. "The ballroom, when I'm eventually forced to host one, the dining room and the lounge when I have guests, my bedroom the rest of the time."

He could just picture the _faces_ of all those snooty aristocrats, desperately trying to keep their composure with his naked arse on display; How they'd twist and contort, trying to say the right thing whilst frantically trying to work out _why_ it was there and what it _really_ meant.

"It'd _almost_ be worth it," Zero chuckled appreciatively, "except your lackeys would recognise me. And, you know, you'd use it somehow to force me into being your pet."

There was a guilty pause, and Zero snorted again, loud in victory.

"Force is such a nasty word. I prefer, entice, persuade, lure, tempt and _seduce._ "

Kaname's hand travelled southwards, meaningfully. Zero sighed. "About time."

Kaname hummed, and then grabbed Zero by the ankles and pulled. Zero yelled as he was spun about to lie on the bed properly.

"Warning is good, Kuran," Zero snapped, fuming " _We've fucking talked about this."_

Kaname ignored him, as per fucking usual, and straddled Zero's arse.

Good. As soon as Kaname got his, Zero was pulling on his jeans and leaving no matter what state he was in. He was drawing the fucking line.

He indulged in a fantasy of a hot shower, fresh groceries, and ten hours of sleep for an entire minute before he realised Kaname's weight over his hips wasn't moving.

And then he heard it.

A slick rhythmic slapping sound. Zero forced his torso off the bed a little and twisted his head around to double check.

Oh for fuck's sake.

Yep.

He'd heard right.

Kuran was freaking _masturbating_ , back arched, cock jutting and wet, eyes fixed solely on Zero's back as he fisted his length with intent.

Zero twisted even _more_ just to check they were both seeing the same thing. Uh huh. Endless red welts, purplish bruising, and uneven lumps of swollen tissue. It was as ugly as fuck and Kuran was jerking off?

"Fucking weirdo," Zero proclaimed light-headed, and fell back down, head spinning from the effort. Whatever. At least he was getting a fucking break.

Kaname came in short order – absolutely silent in his bliss - and Zero felt the warm wet splatter of come across his back. He grimaced at the sensation, but at least that was one round down.

There was a second as Kaname recovered, his weight falling down more heavily upon Zero – and then Kaname actually started massaging it in. His much warmer fingers were rough as they moved over his welts, prodding, pushing, and smoothing.

Zero might have blanked out for a minute there; _What the fuck_ on a repeating banner circling around in his head.

"This is some more bullshit vampire territory marking isn't it?" Zero realised too late.

"Yes," Kaname confirmed smugly. " _Pet."_

It hurt, a lot, but Zero stubbornly kept quiet as Kaname pressed down onto his lashed skin, spreading what was essentially salt into the wounds. His skin wasn't broken, but the pressure was _awful_.

Kaname _was_ paying however, and it was harmless enough as fetishes went.

"You know I'll be taking a shower after this?" Zero needled spiteful due to his temporary paralysis. "With _lots_ of hot water, and soap, and maybe bleach depending on how the rest of this night goes."

In answer, Kaname licked his fingers clean and fucked inside in one strong push.

Zero screamed in pain, legs and arms thrashing about as if he'd been electrocuted, trying to pull away and push Kaname off in the same instant. Not that Kaname let him, the tosser.

There was no lube, no preparation; just Kaname's cock – already recovered, bastard – thrusting deep into him, dry, rough, and it _fucking hurt like Hell_ as he broke through the rings of muscle in rapid succession.

"Bastard bastard _bastard,"_ Zero chanted, holding himself perfectly still as he breathed harshly into the sheets, fists clenched so hard that his knuckles were white and pulsing.

"There'll be no washing this away," Kaname promised darkly – and pulled out.

Blood hit the air like a sledgehammer, and Zero wanted to cry as his thirst leaped to the front of his mind again. Blood. BloodBloodBlood. _Blood._ **BLOOD.**

"Fuck," he whimpered. It was _his_ blood – blood that was as nutritious as cardboard for him. It wasn't _fair_ that it stirred his thirst so easily.

"Do that again," Kaname ordered, as he pushed back inside, a thrust of his hips angling upwards to – oh that should not feel as good as it did.

"I am going to kill you," Zero promised, vehemently, as Kaname tore inside with a battery of staccato thrusts – every millimetre of his fucking cock invading as deep as it could get.

Kaname spasmed with lust; Death threats _really_ got him going – and fuck but Zero should have guessed that – ow ow ow. Son of a bitch.

"You can try," Kaname purred, not pausing in his desperate movements even as he bent his head to nip at Zero's ear with a decidedly fangy snap. "Do you know what the law is, pet, if you try but don't succeed? Can you imagine, the things I'd do to you in retribution?"

He groaned and fucked even harder. The fantasies fuelling his need because he was _fucked up_.

Zero _could_ imagine. To try would be to break the law – heck even _planning_ to touch a level A was death, the vampire's only thought crime. Failing would put him squarely in Kaname's power. It would shatter whatever speck of pride or honour it was that stopped Kaname from just _making_ him stay and be his fucking pet like he obviously wanted.

If word got out, there'd be millions of vampires frothing at the mouth for his blood – and they'd be _eager_ to drag him before Kaname for justice, if he even managed to escape and survive the attempt in the first place, just for a fucking pat on the head from their lord and master.

"I'd find a way," Zero swore as Kaname split him in two. It's not like he _cared_ if he survived the attempt.

"Suicide isn't an option," Kaname ordered knowing exactly where his thoughts had gone, hands fisting the sheets either side of Zero's head for more leverage, his hips were spanking Zero's arse with the pace. "I'd come for your little friends. All of them. Hotaru. Stacey. Mashiro. The workers at the soup kitchen. Fuck, Zero, just like that, _yes._ That grocery story you like, the blonde at the charity shop who puts clothes aside for you. Harder, come _on._ They'd all pay in your place, and Zero? I'd be _furious._ Fuck-fuck- _fuck._ They wouldn't die for centuries."

Driving inside with one last bed-cracking shove of his hips, Kaname held his position, back arching, neck straining, eyes closed tight in pleasure as he released an enormous load, filling Zero with wave after wave of himself.

Kaname groaned, pushing forward insatiably, and Zero choked off a grunt as he felt the seed inside, stinging his open wounds and stating Kuran's claim.

Kaname stayed inside for quite a while, making a dozen little jerks as the deluge of seed eased off, pushing every last spurt inside before he pulled out slowly and wetly, rolling over to lie next to Zero, propped up on one arm. He _still_ wasn't breathing hard, Zero noted whilst he struggled to stay conscious. Passing out here would be deadly. Who knew what Kaname would try with him unable to defend himself.

"You look thoroughly ravaged," Kaname teased and Zero knew he was baiting him with that word. "I think that might be the best we've managed so far. I haven't come that hard in months."

Zero pressed his face into the pillows. He was _so goddamned thirsty._ Kuran's purest of the pure blood was lying two inches away – and his skin was no thicker than his. His fangs could pierce it _easily._

Zero deserved that blood. Kaname was practically _begging_ him to take it, acting all promiscuous with all that skin on display. He wasn't even trying to _hide_ the scent of his divine blood. What a slut. Zero ought to punish him. He'd just take a sip or two to heal. He was owed that much. It wouldn't even be difficult. Kuran was right there.

No. No. No.

That was blood lust talking, Zero realised, almost too late. Half of his thoughts didn't even make _sense._ Fuck fuck fuck.

And wait, what the fuck had Kuran said earlier?

"You've been spying on me," Zero realised in horror. "Oh you fucker."

He should have _known_.

"I have not," Kaname denied easily, and swiftly ruined it with, "Do you think I have that sort of time?"

"You _named_ people, Kaname that's – oh fuck me, stop fucking around with word play. Which minion did you send you, you – _control freak_?"

"Seiren," Kaname admitted, playing with a strand of Zero's hair.

Well, Zero thought that was better than nothing, shaking Kuran off and grunting with annoyance when Kaname just reached for another strand. God knew any of Kuran's other hanger-on's would have been a right nightmare, and _embarrassing._ He didn't want _anyone_ he'd known before to know what he was doing. He wasn't exactly ashamed or anything, it was just a conversation best avoided. He didn't want pity.

"She was discreet."

"I don't fucking care," Zero was too tired for this crap. He carefully wiggled his body away from Kaname – ow, fucking _ow -_ and swung his feet off the side.

"Where's my cash?"

"What if I'm not done with you?" Kaname didn't move an inch, still lying where Zero had left him, propped up on one elbow, and watching Zero with a half-smile on his face.

Zero scoffed and started to carefully lever his body upright.

"I'm done with you – unless there's some other massive invasion of privacy you want to confess to?"

Blithely ignoring that, Kaname tilted his head, red eyes amused. "You can't even walk this time," he was smirking. "I certainly took care of that. You have to stay."

"I'll manage," Zero hissed, and succeeded in standing up.

Ow.

"Fucking hell," Zero swore, staring down at his legs and –yes – there was blood _literally_ running down the inside of his thighs. He glared at Kaname, accusingly.

Mistake. The bloodlust was no longer drowned by outrage. Heck, it was worse. He felt a thrill of terror race through him. Maybe it wasn't bloodlust – he'd never felt this awful before. Maybe this was how the End began. Was he already insane? Would he even know?

"Thirsty, Zero?" Kaname crooned. He leaned back on his elbows amongst the ruined sheets, blood – _Zero's blood_ smearing all over his flawless skin as he rolled. The fucker was _arching his neck._

"This was deliberate," Zero realised, panting from pain and instinct. His throat was _murder._ He closed his eyes as he saw Kaname's trap too late.

A/N - So, I'm back from holiday! Hope this was worth the little wait :)


	14. Chapter 14

"Trap is such a harsh word."

Zero's face must have been a picture. Kaname rolled his eyes, even as he tangled a really nice leg, the light caressing that canvass of skin in one smooth glide, into the bloody sheets. Zero's eyes followed the motion against his will.

It wasn't his fault; he hadn't even got off _once_ yet. The promise of more sex with Kaname had put him _firmly_ in the mood – the last time had certainly left an impression - but pain really didn't do it for him and Kaname hadn't bothered with a reach around either. Of course he'd look after a night like his.

"No, I'm not reading your mind," Kaname told him, "just your expression."

"The whipping," Zero had to lean against a bedpost to keep standing as his legs began to shake. "Fuck I _knew_ it was a weird fetish coming from you, followed by this," Zero waved a vague hand at the evidence of internal injury, "to push me into bloodlust – and telling me about your stalking to piss me off and – fuck. You _want_ me to attack you."

It was a very good trap.

Even knowing about it – Zero wasn't sure he could resist.

Bloodlust was not something he could just shrug off. He needed blood very soon if he was going to keep his head, and he was in too much pain to walk, too much to even stand really. Kaname was the only blood source in the room – and Zero had no illusions about his chances of diving out a window.

He stifled a scream of pure frustration as his legs buckled. He was down to the wire. Either he kept his head, or he kept his feet, and he knew which one was the more important asset around Kaname.

Zero stumbled back to the bed, and crawled on – as far away from Kaname as he could get and still fit on the mattress.

Now that he no longer had to fight to stay upright, he had more reserves to hand, and he mustered every last one of them to stay sane as bloodlust began to burn again in his mind and throat, irresistibly taunted by the threatening promise of pure blood. If Kaname _wanted_ Zero to attack him, then he'd have to _let_ Zero take a few good swallows, surely, or at least one and that was delicious bait.

Oh bugger it all.

"You're self-control is amazing," Kaname praised shamelessly, "Sure you don't want to give it a go? I can tell you're positively _starving_."

"Shut up." Zero whimpered, burying his fangs into the mattress – too far gone to sheathe them properly. "Wait, was that permission?" He lifted his head up as eagerly as a meerkat. Permission changed _everything_ and Kaname's blood would be really fucking good right about now.

"Nope," Kaname rolled closer, as dangerous as the fucking Death Star. "Just an observation from an innocent bystander."

"You've never been innocent _in your life."_ Zero growled.

"You know it would be easy for you. I'm too fucked out to even defend myself," the pureblood wheedled, the blatant liar. "You can hear my pulse, of course, and scent the blood inside of me, under just seven layers of skin. I've been told I smell like an earthbound god. You must be positively _dying_ of temptation."

Of course, now that Kaname had gone and _said it,_ Zero _could_ hear that pulse and smell Kuran's blood and the sheer need made him tremble. If his fangs could drool…

"Shut the fuck up," Zero groaned into the sheets, trying to muffle the scent of him. "I won't do it."

There was a pause whilst Zero could only hear his pulse pounding away in his ears.

"You will." Kaname sounded fucking _delighted_ to have such a childish argument.

"Won't," Zero buried his face further into the duvet, futilely trying to drive out the smell of Kaname and _sex_ and KanameKanameKaname with cotton and silk fibres. The aroma of his own blood now positively ingrained into the sheets did not help one bit.

Zero _knew_ he'd break soon. It was inevitable. Kaname wasn't going to stop pushing until he had blackmail, and Zero physically couldn't escape. Even if he did, he knew he was too far gone to control himself. He'd attack the first human he saw, and kill them. He was too thirsty for control. Morally, it was better to give in to Kaname. Zero wasn't a murderer and he didn't want to become one either.

Maybe it was better this way. Kaname wouldn't hand him over to the Hunters to be executed at last. He'd even get a sip of that pure blood to seal his fate. Zero didn't even have the luxury of doubt – Kuran's blood tasted good enough to be worth whatever came next.

He groaned, and tried to drown himself with the sheets. It wasn't worth freedom, he told himself futilely, it _wasn't._

A wrist wriggled between his face and the mattress. A smooth, flawless wrist that felt _so fucking good_ under his aching lips. He could _taste_ the pulse in Kaname's veins.

"You absolute fucker," Zero swore. Each word forced him to caress that skin, forced his fangs to brush against the sweet point – that nexus of vessels carrying the ambrosia he could scent all around him. Fucking hell, Kuran really _did_ smell divine. The sheer potential he could scent there – the power – oh he was so fucked. He couldn't even move his head _away._ The animal inside of him was fucking hypnotised by the sight-scent-feel-now-please-now-bite-blood.

"Will," Kaname _purred._

That smug arrogant _fucker._ Nothing else could have stirred Zero's defiance like Kuran's self-assured arseholery. He would would he?

Fuck. That.

"Why would I want to be your pet," Zero forced each word out past the pounding of his instincts to just _take_ already. "You can't even get me off."

Kaname stroked his hair, which just pissed him off all the more.

"Am I to pleasure my whore now?"

Zero flinched, and immediately hated himself for it. He was humiliated enough without letting Kaname know it.

Kaname kissed the back of Zero's neck, soothingly.

"Shush," he hushed, "You know you're more than that to me. Emotion fuels our hunger."

Didn't Zero know it? That flash of humiliation added itself neatly to the boiling mess of his mind, frothing his instincts a notch higher. Blood, thick, and red, and heady, and powerful, and so soft, so slick, so fucking beautiful and -

"That was a really half-arsed apology," Zero muttered. "Why, Kaname? Why the _fuck_ do you want to own me so badly?"

"Hmm," Kaname murmured, kissing his ear, "I've always liked beautiful things."

Thing.

Well didn't that bode well for his imminent future? Maybe if he was _really really_ lucky, Kaname would grow bored of him in a month or two, and Zero could just sneak out, with no one the wiser, and a few trinkets in his pocket for his troubles. Mashiro would give him back his apartment, if Zero begged all prettily like – and if he _were_ a valuable artefact, Kaname wouldn't break him.

And fuck, Kaname probably only said it to mess with him worse.

Despite it all, Zero just couldn't surrender. It wasn't in his nature, not after everything he'd endured already.

He reached for anything to prolong his existence as a free man.

"Who the fuck told you that you smelled like a god?" Zero asked forcing the words past the hedgehog of need that was stuck down his throat, "And what the fuck did you do to them after they said it?"

He didn't know much about vampire culture, but Zero was pretty damn sure telling Kaname fucking Kuran his blood smelled good wml, as a _deadly_ faux pas. If he could just remind his awful thirst that they wouldn't survive a _lick_ whole he might yet regain a speck of control.

"Aidou," Kaname admitted with a wicked snigger, making the wrist under Zero's parting lips vibrate cruelly. "He was drunk. I teased him mercilessly for it once he'd recovered. I've never seen Kain so mortified." He sounded positively gleeful over the memory, and Zero found himself grinning too, the scene painting itself clearly in his mind – and his lips caressed that skin once more and the hedgehog started to tap dance up and down his poor abused throat.

Fuck it. He had nothing left to lose.

"Please Kaname," Zero begged with his eyes closed so that he didn't have to look Kaname in the eye at the same time. "Please don't do this to me." It was the second night Kaname had paid for his company, and the second night Zero had been reduced to begging for basic decency.

He'd be furious – but he didn't have the energy to spare for it. Every man had a breaking point, even him.

He was going to crack. Kaname was going to win and there was nothing Zero could do about it but hope Kaname wouldn't be too much of a twat afterwards.

Helpless, frustrated tears slipped from his eyes.

 **"Don't move."**

 **#**

 **A/N: - :O**


	15. Chapter 15

A/N - Look how long this chapter is!

Zero's body paralysed immediately, helplessly obedient to the Command, but his mind launched to hyper speed. Mercy from Kaname? Unlikely. This had to be another trap. Why? Why Why Why? He'd already won.

Kaname wanted him to attack, but Zero couldn't even blink right now, so complete was the order. In fact, he wasn't even certain if his lungs were moving. His pulse joined his mind in hyperspace. Thumpthumpthump. If he couldn't move, he couldn't bite – this just made no _sense._ Unless the whole biting thing was a blind to something even _worse_ – and that would be _just_ like the bastard – knowing damn well how distracting Zero would find the whole idea.

Even worse than _that_ , his panic didn't lessen the tidal wave of _hunger_ that sapped at his very soul.

He felt, with agonising intensity, the wrist and all of its lovely pure blood vanish from under his fangs – and the mattress dipped as Kaname left the bed entirely.

What the hell was going on? Where was he – and his blood – going?

Was he just going to _leave_ him here like this? Abandoned and starving? Was he going to suffocate here on this bloody bed?

"Drink."

Oh thank god, Kaname was back.

Zero felt his head being lifted, and the coolness of metal pressed against his lips. The power surrounding his mind lessened just enough for Zero to take a breath and scent the contents.

Oh, dear sweet lord above. Blood.

Blood.

Ah, of course, Kaname might want him to feed – but he wanted control too. And, Zero remembered vaguely, vampires had a _thing_ about being bitten, didn't they? It was some sort of power-status thing, wasn't it? Bragging rights?

Strangely relaxed - there hadn't been a greater trick after all - Zero drank the blood that danced across his lips in two desperate gulps. He was too far gone in the bloodlust to have a choice about it. There was blood, and he consumed it. It was that simple, and damning. Will power could only go so far before it met a hard biological limit.

The effect was instant.

The red haze in his mind cleared, the pain in his throat lessened, his fangs shrunk to a manageable size, and he could breathe a sigh of relief as Kaname pressed a second cup to his dry and cracked lips.

The scent was recognisable now - warm, nutritious and _safe._

Human.

Zero swallowed greedily, groaning when the sweet wholesome taste exploded over his tongue. He didn't care _why_ Kaname was being so generous all of a sudden, why he hadn't broken Zero when he had the chance – he could only feed as much as physically possible for as long as possible. Every drop he consumed would give him another inch of resistance when Kaname inevitably changed his mind.

When his thoughts cleared completely, he had the synapses to spare to wonder where Kaname had got human blood from – they were alone up here, and he knew it for sure.

He'd been paying attention after the last time.

"Wha-"

"Bottled blood," Kaname explained gently, knowing immediately what he wanted to say. "An old substitute from before we invented the tablets. It doesn't maintain it's vitality for more than a week, and it has to be reheated carefully, but I got some in for you."

Kaname kept refilling the cup – and after three refills, Zero turned his head away, licking his lips and panting weakly, as buzzed as he was nauseous.

He was utterly disgusted with himself.

"Now, now," Kaname murmured, stroking his hair back from his forehead tenderly – the bastard. "None of that. You haven't hurt anyone, Zero. The blood was given perfectly willingly."

Zero grunted.

"A blood bank," Kaname replied. Zero hated how the other vampire could read him so easily. "There are other varieties that we pay for, a fair few humans are in the know, and they're willing to be compensated handsomely in return for eating a special diet and giving a pint every two months."

"Why'd you do it?" Zero asked, verbally, because this was important. "You had me."

There was no point lying about it when they both knew the truth. Zero had broken, and Kaname hadn't taken his prize.

Kaname settled onto the bed, pulling Zero up next to him before finally releasing the Command that held him still. Zero elbowed Kaname in the ribs, pointedly because blood or no blood his back was still a mess of agony and he didn't appreciate being jerked about or Commanded this way and that, but stayed where Kaname wanted him, resting his head on his chest and letting the wanker play with his hair _again._

"I realised something," Kaname replied simply when it became clear Zero wasn't going to drop the topic.

"Realised _what,_ you bastard."

The following silenced reigned for so long that Zero decided he was being ignored before he got his answer.

"I like playing the game, but I don't want to win."

"Speak proper Japanese," Zero snapped, at the end of his patience.

Kaname sighed, and then he pushed Zero onto his back and straddled him.

Back pressed flat onto the mattress, with Kaname's weight pushing him down – Zero cursed and bit right through his lip, trying to keep himself from screaming. He should have known better than to question a pureblood – fuck, what was he going to do -

Kaname reached down and held Zero's head between his two hands.

"Open your eyes, Zero."

Zero glared at him, and Kaname kissed him full on the mouth, tender and sweet, and without closing his eyes. Zero felt him smile into it, and realised too late that a bitten lip meant a bloody kiss.

Kaname drew back, Zero's blood coating his lips.

"You promised-" Zero began frantically, why the _fuck_ had he ever trusted that Kaname wouldn't -

Kaname wiped his lips with the back of his hand, and wiped it clean on the already ruined sheets.

"Are you paying attention now?"

"Fuck you." Zero fumed, as his already-exhausted heart settled into a steadier pace.

"If I broke you," Kaname said, hands roaming Zero's chest, "It'd be forever. Don't get me wrong," he added, as if Zero thought he was suddenly going soft, "It'd be fun too – but I rather like you like this," the flickering of his eyes added emphasis. "You're in pain, but you still glare at me. You hate me, but you trust me."

"I do not," Zero denied heatedly, "I'm a Hunter – you're a vampire. That's not grounds for trust, it's a war story."

Kaname's snort said it all.

"Zero, every second you spend here is an exercise in trust. You knew exactly what I wanted to do to you – and what I could still do if I was in a darker mood, but still you let me inside you."

Zero felt a heat in his cheeks and scowled.

"Don't twist this, leech. I just need your money."

"Do you? You managed for years before that night in the rain."

"My landlord put the rent up," Zero sneered back.

"Unsurprising, Mashiro may lack brains, but he doesn't lack eyes." Kaname's gaze wondered possessively over Zero's body, focusing on his neck. " _Have_ you ever let him have you?"

Zero grunted, and tried to push Kaname off – Kaname might have been made of stone for all the effect it had. "None of your business."

"I _want_ it to be."

"Tough shit."

Kaname sighed – as if _Zero_ was being the difficult one.

"I could buy you an apartment in the same area, if you _really_ want to continue living somewhere so… tired."

"Nope." Were they getting into this _again?_

"I could have a word with Mashiro – stop him bothering you, ever."

Yes, apparently they were.

"I'd die of embarrassment – and never fucking talk to you again. I don't want anyone knowing we've even _met_ each other, let alone the rest of it," Zero added with a pointed grimace at their entwined and naked bodies, still covered with blood and other substances he'd rather not think about.

The expression Kaname made was somewhere between offended and amused, and something that was either fondness or bewilderment but Zero expertly ignored it all. He didn't give a _shit_ if the bastard was having late-onset emotions.

"You could move into one of the blocks _I_ own and," Kaname hesitated, mouth twisting as if his next words tasted foul, "rent from _me_. With the provision that you can make up any and all arrears to your landlord on your back." He added with a truly lecherous smirk. "You would not have to fear being turned out by me, ever."

"Just the arrears?" Zero chuckled. "Kaname, I make the rent money, the bill money, the grocery money, _all of my money,_ on my back too. Or the floor, or the wall or - " Kaname slapped a hand over Zero's mouth and Zero grinned under it, licking Kaname's hand because he could.

Kaname cleaned it on Zero's hair – because there never was a challenge he wouldn't match.

"Why won't you let me look after you?" He demanded.

"I don't want any of your _favours_ ," Zero explained tiredly, knowing somehow, that Kaname didn't really understand.

Kaname considered that for a nanosecond and then-

"Not even this one?"

Zero just had time to think _oh shit,_ before Kaname flipped him over onto his stomach.

"Er," Zero struggled to remember words, "Kaname –'

He snapped his mouth shut. He wasn't going to complain, not to the one who got off hurting him in the first place. What did he think would happen? He'd say _it hurts_ and Kaname would reply _alright then, another time my love?_

Yeah, not likely. Kaname wasn't going to be satisfied with a meagre two orgasms. Not when he was paying for it. As far as Zero had figured, going several rounds a night was _normal_ for the smug bastard.

Zero gritted his fangs, and clung to the mattress. Fuck, but this was going to hurt, not that Zero could grouse after being fed so well. The blood had done him a world of good - but he'd need _nights_ to fully heal, especially inside where all the complicated stuff was.

He really didn't want this – but he couldn't show that. He had his pride, and Kaname had his lusts.

Zero braced as he sensed Kaname lean in and –

-kiss the junction of his neck and shoulder.

His lips were impossibly warm and soft and then Zero yelped. Loudly. In fact, it may have even been classified as a squeak. A high pitched, mousey, squeak, whiskers included.

Kaname's lips touched his swollen throbbing welts and a wave of cold blessed relief speared down into Zero's muscles. Before he had a moment to _think,_ Zero was boneless under that sweet, sweet, deliverance.

"I hope, Zero," Kaname baited, "you don't mind if I use my 'freaky ass' powers on you just this once." He moved his lips a fraction lower and kissed his back again and Zero _whimpered_ as another icicle of welcome frost arced down to his spine.

"Oh fuck," he keened.

The contrast of icy healing and burning pain had Zero a trembling wreck as he gasped and clutched at the sheets, his eyes rolling back into his head, he'd be kicking out if Kaname hadn't pre-emptively sat on his thighs. Every soft kiss drove a spike into Zero's brain – the signals all so confused. Where had the pain gone? Was this agony or bliss? He was half hot, half cold and completely fucking aroused.

He'd been limp all night – a fact Kaname could hardly have missed. Zero hadn't been certain if not getting him off was a power play on Kaname's part – see, I don't _have_ to be nice, and I've got better things to do when you're here to service _me –_ or if he just hadn't cared.

Wouldn't have been the first time. The worse thing was when a client got pissed he wasn't _desperate_ to be fucked by them. He'd say women had it so much easier when it came to faking it – but he'd seen Stacey's girls, and no, they really didn't.

But now – oh, now, the blood had got him half hard as it was, it had been _ages_ since he'd had the real stuff – and Kaname's _really_ freaky ass powers just about finished him off. He was rutting against the sheets and if he'd had more room to move, he would have embarrassed himself already. Twice.

Kaname's lips were inexorable – starting at his neck, and mouthing down silkily to the curve of his spine – and up again. Nothing Zero did or said could get him to move _faster_ or stop or fucking finish him already, and Zero _tried._

Nothing would persuade Kaname, there was just a long, slow, icy glide into every cell of his back, fucking him over again and again as pain vanished under the power of Kaname's lips.

Zero had surrendered to a blissful haze of placid insanity by the time Kaname was done, curling up next to him. His erection was thick, and lay throbbing against Zero's thigh.

"What _the fuck_ was that?" Zero grumbled. He felt fucking _fantastic_ and was not happy about it at all. High-handed _bastard._

"Healing."

"No shit Sherlock," Zero growled. "I didn't ask for it, and don't even think about me _owing_ you shit now." Zero was a Hunter – and he knew damn well a pureblood gave nothing for free. How expensive physically impossible healing was, Zero didn't have the imagination to picture the number.

Kaname smirked. Not his usual smirk, but a really fucking smug one.

"Only you Zero, could find something to complain about _after_ I'd kissed it better."

"The fuck you did!" Zero denied immediately. No way, he refused to let Kaname get away with saying embarrassing shit like that. This was not a fairy-tale with sparkling unicorns and musical numbers.

Kaname laughed, a real laugh this time, all warm and rumbly and making Zero smile at the sound.

He wiped his face the second he realised what he'd done, and then he levered himself upright, wincing only slightly, to examine the damage.

Kaname had healed his back. What had once been a sick mess was back to smooth skin. Not quite as flawless as Kaname's had looked – but pretty darn good, if he did say so himself.

The only bit that still hurt was his arse.

Kaname hadn't healed him _everywhere._ Either he was making some sort of metaphoric point that Zero couldn't be bothered to twist out, or his powers required lip to skin contact, and Kaname actually possessed sexual limits.

He was probably making a point – Zero knew he'd needled him good with the bleach comment.

"Alright," Zero said, deciding to just go with it and pulled a shred of sheet about him. "My money?"

Kaname eyed him, and Zero wondered uneasily if he was going to refuse to pay. He didn't _think_ Kaname was like that – but he _knew_ Zero needed the cash tonight and if he didn't have it, Mashiro was going to act out and Zero wouldn't have a choice.

"Kaname…," Zero trailed off. "I'm having a shower before I go," he said decisively. "I don't want anyone to smell you on me at home."

He turned, keeping his back straight, to find the bathroom.

#

To his enormous surprise – and concern – Kaname didn't jump him in the shower.

He wasn't shoved into the, predictably, marble tiles, or onto his knees or anything like that. There was just a lot of very hot water, and a vast array of gels and masks and brushes and scrubs and lotions and potions that all had foreign names. Zero picked the one that smelled the least like flowers, and scrubbed twice from head to toe.

Going back to his apartment covered in Kaname's scent, the reek of his own blood, not to mention the smell of sex would not end well for him.

When he finally came out, Kaname was dressed in a loose fitting robe of some expensive material, and there was a pile of cash at the foot of the bed.

Resting on the top was a mobile phone.

It was a cheap model, no touch screen or fancy buttons, just a standard numeric keypad, black, and tiny.

Zero looked between it and Kaname twice before he spoke.

"What the fuck?"

Kaname's face was unreadable. "I have neither the time nor the inclination to crawl the streets searching for you whenever I get the itch. Take it. It's pay as you go, and I've already put credit on there. I suggest you make yourself available for me when I call."

"You want to _book me?_ " Zero scoffed. "And fuck you, Kaname. I'm not going to drop whatever I'm doing and grab ankle whenever you want. I have other things to do."

"Oh?" Kaname asked silkily, "Like what?"

That hurt, a bit. Yes, Kaname had spied on his life and found it crap, but it was still _his_ life and he liked it well enough.

"Like finding a better job you prick."

"You know, now that you mentioned it," Kaname smiled innocently, instantly raising Zero's hackles, "Kuran Enterprises is hiring."

"Fuck no."

"I'm sure you'd make an _excellent_ secretary."

"Fuck you."

"Glasses, a good suit with tight trousers…"

Zero knew he was going to lose this conversation – so he did the most insulting thing he could think of and turned his back to Kaname.

Silence fell, and then Kaname _growled._

Zero smirked, and stayed put, carefully counting out his money. Four hundred, plus the phone, not that he really counted that as a tip - more like a chain about his neck.

"Your neck looks lovely from here, darling," Kaname crooned – and Zero flinched.

Fuck it, now the bastard had won.

"We're done. You can keep your fucking leash," Zero said, throwing the phone at Kaname.

Kaname caught it and threw it back with force.

"Take it, Zero."

Zero clenched his fists. Kaname was not offering a compromise – and some hidden instinct reminded Zero of their rankings in the hierarchy. A. D. _Obey_.

He pocketed the phone.

"I might never turn it on."

Kaname's smile was sad. "You will."

He would. He knew he would.

"Fuck you."

#


	16. Chapter 16

Zero sat on the end of his bed – the only seat in his apartment – carefully counting cash.

One hundred, two, three, fifty.

Phew.

He put the mixture of notes and coins on the table, and carefully stored the remaining few bits and bobs in an old can under the floorboard between the bed and the wall.

Mashiro would make one of his customary visits soon, and it was not wise to let that man know where he kept his savings; not when the arsehole had a key to his room and an agenda that revolved around Zero's utter subjugation to him.

He flopped down on the bed, belt digging uncomfortably into his back, and sighed.

Where did he go wrong? How did he end up here? How did his life come to the knife's edge of poverty and dignity? He grunted and sat up again. He knew damn well how, and this was no time to be moping about. He didn't have much time before nightfall, and he needed to work.

He hated to admit it, but the last couple of months he'd gotten lazy. Taking a few nights off after one of Kaname's sessions had seemed like a good idea – he'd earned it hadn't he – but that just meant missing a night's work and a night's money.

He wouldn't _need_ Kaname's… business if he hadn't dropped the ball those few nights.

Kaname would call again, but who knew when? If he'd been just a night later, Zero would have had to have a very uncomfortable chat with Mashiro.

The money he represented wasn't worth slacking, nor was it worth the risk. He'd been living hand to mouth for so long, he'd forgotten what it was like to have savings, but Kaname's attention was an opportunity.

If they fucked just once a month, the rent was in the bag – but if Zero _also_ worked every night he'd have security.

Determined Zero stood up, and grimaced.

He could still _feel_ Kaname inside him. The damage was not as bad as he'd feared, given those disturbing healing powers, but it was pretty grim. He was lucky – and fuck the bastard for making him feel like this curse was a _good_ thing – that his vampire physiology would hold off the infection he'd be getting down there if he'd been human.

Fuck it all but Kaname could be rough.

Another bastard with an agenda; Zero's life was just full of them.

Zero knew Kaname had done it that way – healed everything _but –_ as a reminder, a mark of ownership. Being forced to remember Kaname with every step and every other customer was right up the pureblood's alley. He'd like Zero thinking of him whilst being fucked by others.

It was probably the whole point.

Naturally, that realisation just made Zero even more resolved to work every single night he could. Kaname wouldn't win, simple as.

"Knock knock," Mashiro called, cheerfully letting himself in. "Rent's due, Zero-kun!"

Zero turned and sighed.

"Do you collect payment from everyone in person, or do I alone deserve that privilege?"

Mashiro was a lower B. He owned whole apartment buildings. He had to have better things to do than harass one lowly D.

"I _care_ about my tenants, Zero. I am a dutiful landlord, and naturally when I have the time to turn my hand to the more mundane parts of the job, I do. You're just lucky."

Zero snorted and gestured to the table.

Mashiro looked over.

"Down to the wire this month I see," he said, carefully separating the coins into piles. "Oh, and whilst I'm here, I suppose I had better tell you. Due to spate of anti-social behaviour in the neighbourhood," the look he shot Zero there was full of meaning, "my insurance premium has gone up. Naturally, I have to pass the increase on to my tenants, so from now on your rent is four fifty a month."

The floor fell out from under him.

"You're hiking it up _again?_ Mashiro you only put it up three months ago. You won't have any tenants left!"

 _I cannot afford this._

His errant landlord smiled at him.

"I'll have plenty of tenants left – just not you. You're _rude_ , Zero, I took a chance on you," he shook his head in fakefuckingfake disappointment, "an abandoned pet on the brink of madness – but you just couldn't be nice, could you? Still, I will attempt to rise above your insult. I'm not kicking you out after all. Pay on time and we continue as usual, but don't expect any favours from me anymore." He waved the recently collected cash at him. "I'll see you on the first."

Zero stared as the door shut behind him, feeling the walls close in.

"Fuck."

Mashiro owned everything in the neighbourhood. If Zero lost this place, that was it. He could move to another city – but that cost money.

He could work up until the last day and skip town?

He squirmed. Mashiro was a dick… but he could be worse. He pushed, but he wasn't violent. He'd been willing to rent to a D despite the very real risks – Zero kinda owed him.

Morality was _so_ inconvenient sometimes. Fuck fuck fuck.

As for another town, well there was a reason Zero had picked this place when the Hunters had kicked him out, making it very clear that he was a D, not a Hunter, and he'd had nowhere to go. Kaname's territory was safer than others especially for the likes of him – D's.

He'd heard all sorts of tales from his …colleagues… about what other purebloods were like – and they'd all know, being D's for the most part. It grated on him to know how much purebloods like Kaname could influence his life without knowing or caring, but it was the truth.

Fucking leeches.

Tokyo did not belong to Kaname, except that it did, as far as the vampires were concerned. That meant Kaname's law held in the streets – and his were kinder.

It'd been a harsh introduction into life as a lower vampire.

Lesson one: There was no escaping vampire law.

He'd tried to hide amongst humans and that had failed, epically.

Vampires were naturally integrated amongst human society – their prey – Zero had been one of many, and a vampire could always sense their kin.

The keener noses knew him for a D from half a mile away, and if they bothered to be nosy, they'd know which pureblood had bitten him.

Being Shizuka's cast off had _consequences -_ Pureblood politics were a world of their own. And Zero'd been frighteningly ignorant.

One thing had led to another, and Zero had quickly figured out Kuran's fucking territory was the safest for Shizuka's leavings.

No need to fucking guess why too – the murderous fuck.

All of which meant he had no choice but to put up with Mashiro.

Bugger.

Zero groaned, running both hands through his hair. The smart thing would be pleasing Mashiro – smiling for him, being fucking happy when he arrived, and yes, letting him screw him anyway he liked as often as he liked.

But Zero just _couldn't._

He wasn't a very good liar, and he couldn't act either. Besides, Mashiro hadn't even _tried_ to grope him. Maybe he wasn't interested anymore? In which case, Zero realised with no small sense of despair, that giving in to Mashiro was no longer a safe plan B.

The phone Kuran had given him gleamed ominously on the table.

#

The library had plug sockets, and Zero hunched right next to one, reading a book on physics.

The phone was charging underneath the table. It was a compromise of sorts – he'd keep the fucking thing on because he needed Kaname's money – but he was _not_ paying to charge it up at his apartment.

He didn't know why he bothered – Kaname wouldn't call until the end of the month. They both had the pattern down by now. Zero knew his pride only let him accept Kaname's business when he really did have no other option and Kaname was not an idiot. The vampire ran a gigantic corporation that spread further across the globe with every passing year for fucks sake; he knew how to get what he wanted.

Fuck.

Zero gave up the book and slammed his head against the table.

What Kaname wanted, he'd forgotten, was _Zero._ Fuck it all _sideways._ He shouldn't have taken the phone – he must have missed the beginning of at least a dozen side-plots of the leeches by taking it.

Why had he really done it?

Convenience – he'd said, but come _on_. Kaname had staff – he could just as easily send one of his many legions out to get Zero if he didn't have the time himself. He's said it himself. Nobody was going to challenge Kaname's behaviour. If he wanted a whore, they'd go get him one. They both knew Zero would come. He'd be embarrassed – easily – but he'd come, especially now, once they'd had a few practice rounds to settle into their new roles.

What other reasons were there?

Zero picked the phone up and carefully explored it. It was a new model but an old design – standard pay and go, no touch screen, no internet browser, and no email.

He went into the contacts; curious and snorted so hard he almost had to leave the library.

There was a single entry in there, not under K but under Y. Y for _Your Benevolent Overlord_ apparently.

Arrogant sod.

He ought to text Kaname and tell him so actually – he opened up the message screen and froze, finally understanding.

Kaname's insidious plan.

He'd given Zero a way out.

The phone was not for Kaname's convenience – it was for Zero's. An open line of communication to an extremely wealthy customer.

Zero could fucking text him right now. He could say, _I'm free tonight, busy?_ Or _Phone-sex is extra by the way_ and Kaname would reply.

There'd be friendly back and forth, and sooner or later, Zero would have a bad month – he'd ask his good pal Kaname for help, and in would he sweep.

This was blatant temptation. A constant one that Zero had no choice but to carry around in his pocket. It would be with him all day every day in case Kaname called, and in the long silences it would connive and taunt in the back of his mind.

He'd say it again – Kaname knew how to get what he wanted.

Zero closed his eyes and counted to ten, taking deep breaths and letting them rattle out to the very end of his capacity in a tiny hiss.

Fuck that.

He opened his eyes. _Fuck that._

Kaname may have meant it as a forbidden apple – but Zero had a choice too, and he chose _not_ to roll over and show the pureblood his belly.

#

"Hey, Hotaru? How much rent you paying now?" Zero asked his sort-of-maybe-friend.

"I'm not. I'm squatting. Why?"

"Mashiro's put it up. I was wondering about a room mate."

"I would, Zero, but it's free where I am right now, and it could be worse. I'm not paying money for a place if I don't have to."

Zero grunted his agreement, and quit looking for a roommate right then. It'd be so much easier, but Hotaru was the only one he could stand to have in his space for any length of time – fucking Shizuka, fucking auras - and he'd been reluctant to give even that much privacy up.

Where'd they'd have gotten a second bed, he'd had no idea anyway.

"You're limping. Fujiwara's lot corner you again?"

"Nah – this was just business."

"Fuck it all," Hotaru replied cheerfully.

"Fuck them all," Zero agreed.

#

The nights went by excruciatingly slowly.

He spent the day in the library; educating himself, charging his phone and applying for jobs. There was one on Kuran Enterprises website – new up just this week – a secretarial position in the local office and Zero knew it was Kaname's idea of a fucking joke.

That foul cretin. That half spitted whoreson of a goat and a cactus.

What would happen if he applied?

No, absolutely not. He wouldn't do it. He would not think about suits, glasses, and being bent over the desk by Kaname fucking Kuran.

The phone was mocking him.

He spent the nights working. He tried not to think about that either.

He took hand outs from the soup kitchen, and Christian Aid. He took condoms from them too. He went dumpster diving – trusting to his vampiric physiology to keep the worst of the germs off.

He watched the phone like a hawk.

He'd considered pawning the phone for the tuppence it'd earn him and to spit in Kuran's eye one more time.

Kaname did not call.

#


	17. Chapter 17

Happy Christmas! Just a little present to tide you over.

#

Zero looked at the single entry in the phone's address book – for the fiftieth fucking time.

Should he call first - a hint of surrender? Then Kaname would take him for another night, thinking that if he just pushed a little harder he might have a chance – and Zero would live for another month.

Ugh. Even thinking about it made Zero nauseous.

He wouldn't beg.

Moreover, whom did he think he was kidding? Kaname would see through it in a _second_. That creature was way too fucking used to games like this. For the love of blood vampires had made a whole society that revolved around lying through their fangs. Did he really think he could beat them at their own game?

No, he wouldn't win on that board – it'd be better to just not play.

Calling was _not_ an option. Besides, he was fine. He ate almost every night – there was no need to make a fuss. He could wait Kaname out. Easily.

#

The 29th came like a drunken frat boy.

Zero glared down at the silent phone as he dressed for the night. Tight trousers because fuck was he wearing the booty shorts in this weather, and his favourite shirt.

Despite his best efforts, he wasn't going to make it this month.

He'd done everything he could. He'd scrimped every penny, enough to make him blush at what he'd spent in the months previously. But there was just no helping it. It didn't matter how much he saved if he wasn't earning.

It was winter, and it was way too fucking cold. To cold for fucking even. Zero didn't work in a fancy brothel – he worked for himself alone, and the only people who came to him came off the streets. Not even the usual club-goers wandered the pavement casually in the freezing weather, and it wasn't like Zero could advertise.

He strode to his corner, feeling grim and kept a sharp eye out for trouble. Fujiwara's lot had been quiet lately, and that was bad. He hoped none of them had Fallen to Level E. They were a pain – but no one deserved _that._ Still, Falling was their most common disaster and Fujiwara's leftovers were a big group, statistically, _someone_ had to be pretty close to the Edge by now. It had been a good few months since the last slip.

Even if it was nothing as bad as that, there were the usual thieves to consider. Kaname's phone might be the cheapest model out there – but Zero knew how far even a few quid could stretch, and there were dozens around who wouldn't mind bashing him over the head for the extra cash or for no reason at all, if he were honest.

It was ridiculous really. Kaname's personal phone number had to be worth a thousand cheap phones, maybe a thousand thousand.

He wondered how the stuck up prick would react if Zero sold it? Or better yet wrote it in the men's room down the local pub.

He snorted. Kaname would kill him, brutally; it would still be funny though.

His corner was quiet, but the Council had finally seen to fixing the dodgy streetlights so at least the place looked less like the setting of a horror film.

Zero waited, and waited, and waited.

For fucks sake if nobody came soon he was going to freeze to the metal pole.

He was _not_ quietly panicking when he felt his pocket vibrate.

Zero kicked away from the lamppost, groaning and stretching as if he'd had enough and was going for a fag, meandering around the corner – where he dashed to a nearby alley and pulled the phone out, heart racing.

A text, thank god.

 _I'll be at your place in half an hour – K._

Zero nearly cracked the screen – relief turned to irritation in an instant. Oh, he'd order Zero around would he? Fucking entitled vampire. Who did he think he was?

 _You meant, Zero, are you free in half an hour pretty please with a cherry on top – Z_

 _Mmm, Zero, be lying on your bed naked when I arrive, with cherries. Do you have any or should I bring? – K._

Zero was furiously tapping out his reply when Kaname interrupted as per fucking usual.

 _And whipped cream? – K._

 _Fuck you. You're far too late for my cherries, Kaname. Why aren't we meeting at one of your places? – Z._

 _Twenty minutes – K._

Cursing, Zero hurried home. Presuming leech. Why he ought to –

He forced open the dodgy door with his shoulder and hastily examined his apartment. He'd never had guests here before and he was _not_ ready for them.

He did not like this. Why did Kaname want to meet here? What was wrong with Kaname's dozens of houses?

He grimaced. His apartment was shabby as hell and there was absolutely no hiding it. He didn't even own a rug to cover the mysterious stains on the floor with.

Well it wasn't like Kaname didn't know he was dirt poor.

Still. There was no reason to show it either. Maybe if he moved the bed –

 _Knock Knock._

Zero glared, and stomped over, throwing the door open and hissing at the other vampire, conscious of his neighbours and the _really_ thin walls. "You said twenty minutes!"

"I was eager to see you," Kaname purred back, eyefucking Zero from head to toe and successfully raising his hackles from nought to sixty in one slow glance. "You didn't follow my instructions," he added, looking pointedly at Zero's clothes.

"I've only been back a minute!" Zero protested, and, catching himself, "and I wasn't going to anyway." he said stoutly.

"No?" Kaname sighed.

"No."

"Pity." Kaname looked him up and down _again_ the tosser. "Are you going to invite me in?"

"Are you Dracula now?"

"I'm just being polite."

Zero scoffed, but stepped away from the door, holding it opening and waving an arm.

"Please come in," Zero smirked. "May I take your coat, Kuran-sama?"

Kaname smirked back as he dutifully handed it over – cashmere or Zero was a human. "What a wonderful idea, Zero. How do you feel about role-play and maid costumes?"

In answer, Zero dropped Kaname's hideously expensive coat onto the floor – right on top of the mysterious stains.

"Oh no," he drawled, "I'm so sorry Master."

Kaname's answering smile was as sweet as a dagger. "Not to fret, Zero, I'm sure you can make it up to me."

He advanced. Zero retreated.

"Nuh uh. You aren't getting one lick of this until we've set ground rules."

"I'm listening," Kaname murmured, still advancing. The look in his eye was all _intent_ and despite his best intentions, Zero smiled.

His back hit the wall and a second later he had an eager pureblood kissing his neck.

It was _so_ fucking unfair that vampires had a weakness for necking. Zero was groaning, tilting his head back and fisting a hand in Kaname's ridiculously soft hair before he knew what hit him.

"Rule one," he gasped, "No tearing me up. I'm sick of your possessive bullshit. If you make me bleed, I'll – oh fuck – charge double."

Kaname laughed into his throat, and there was a sneaky hand reaching under his shirt.

"Oh fuck you, rich boy," Zero snapped, using his grip on Kaname's hair to force the pureblood back to the necking. "If I bleed then I'll start treating you like any other John."

That got a reaction alright. Whatever they were doing – it was not just business, and Kaname definitely preferred it that way.

"Rule two," Zero continued; riding the wave of his victory, "You keep it down. I do _not_ want my neighbours knowing I've got one of your lot in here."

"How prejudiced," Kaname nibbled on his ear, there was a click as Zero's belt came undone, and then Kaname's hand was down his pants and making himself at home.

"That includes your freaking aura," Zero hissed reaching for Kaname's buttons.

"You realise, Zero, that if Mashiro knew you were mine, all your problems would disappear?"

"I'm not yours," Zero tugged Kaname's shirt off. "And you were the one who said I'd get fucking kidnapped if anyone found out you were fucking me."

"You're protecting me now? Cute."

"Fuck you."

"Not happening – but perhaps –"

Zero shivered from the wind rushing past him and suddenly he was lying on his bed, shoes off, trousers around his ankles and Kaname's mouth on him.

Fuck, his memories had _not_ done this justice.

#


	18. Chapter 18

Kaname wasn't in a hurry. He tormented Zero with his mouth for an age of ecstasy. There was licking, there was sucking, there were kisses, caresses and sweet nothings.

And then there were taunts, pinches, flicks, nips, and _fangs_ because Kaname would never be a nice decent person who would just get him off already.

Vampires. What could you do?

"You know," Zero drawled as nonchalantly as possible with his dick down the pureblood's all too skilled throat, "You are paying by the hour here."

Kaname pulled off – nipping the swollen head with blunt teeth – and smirked as Zero howled.

"And here I thought you wanted to be _quiet_ Zero-chan. Not that I mind if everyone knows you're being thoroughly fucked in here."

Zero hissed – deliberately showing Kaname his fangs. It was a vampiric insult he was particularly fond of. A minor dominance display but with massive connotations. He was saying back off, I could take you if I wanted to – and you just didn't _say_ that to a pureblood.

Kaname found it helplessly charming.

"Whose my fierce kitten?" he murmured – sliding sinuously up Zero's body to kiss him on the lips, smiling into it. "Yes you are," he praised, getting lost in the kiss, "Oh yes you are. Maybe I should call you Fluffy."

Zero shoved him off and pounced, Kaname went, laughing, pulling Zero down on top of him with casual ease to continue kissing.

"Don't even _think_ of cat ears or a tail. I see one hint of fur and I'm gone." Zero gave Kaname his deadliest glare to prove he was serious and Kaname pretended penitence enough to nod solemnly.

Then he shoved Zero back down on the bed and under him, managing to pull off the rest of their clothes in the same instant.

"May I?" Kaname asked, finger circling his entrance.

"You're actually _asking_?"

"I did promise to be good tonight," Kaname reminded him piously. "So?" he flicked at the tip of Zero's unsatisfied length for emphasis. "Yes, or no?"

" _Yes,"_ Zero groaned, tugging at Kaname's wrist. "In. Now."

"Oh no, Zero. I'm being _good._ So I think you're going to need a _lot_ of prep tonight. I'd just _hate_ to hurt my darling pet," he added sweetly, eyes glinting with a familiar sadistic delight.

Well _fuck,_ Zero thought, pained. It was going to be a long, long, night.

Kaname wriggled his fingers, and a bottle of lube 'pulled' from a pocket somewhere dropped into his hand. Kaname flicked it open with a smile as Zero groaned in frustration, dabbing a little on one finger and reaching below.

He didn't go straight in; that would be too easy.

Instead, Zero felt Kaname circle his entrance, around and around and _around_ , with a gentle steady pressure that _itched._

"Kaname," Zero moaned. "Come _on_." He tugged at Kaname's arm but found it as immovable as a pillar of stone. Fuck, he'd forgotten how strong the bastard was.

"Being good," Kaname sing-singed, finally letting his fingernail dip inside a millimetre – where it promptly repeated the same pattern. Around and around, from inside the lip, scratching slightly at his delicate walls.

Zero shivered. " _Please_?"

"No."

Zero waited for the perfect moment – and then jerked himself backward. Kaname's finger was forced in an entire inch before Kaname caught his thighs and eased him back up the bed.

"Slow and careful," Kaname crooned viciously. "You did want me to be gentle, dear Zero, and you know I'll always indulge my favourite kitten."

"You're lucky I don't have my gun," Zero swore, full of feeling. The Bloody Rose's loss didn't sting so much now. He refused to think about why that might be.

" _Mittens_."

Zero snarled, twisting about so he could punch the smug fucker in the face – but Kaname was too fast for him, catching his fist and pressing it down to the mattress, leaving Zero pinned helplessly to endure his new torment as Kaname finally slid inside to the first knuckle.

There was no escaping it. Zero was fingered open _slowly_ and _carefully_ and it took freaking forever before Kaname deigned to get the second finger in let alone the third.

Zero _bitterly_ regretted his earlier words. What was a little pain in comparison to this?

"Oh come on," he tried, somewhere around the third knuckle on finger number two. "You _like_ breaking me open. Don't you want to force yourself inside again? Feel my body yield to you?"

"Yield?" Kaname teased, "Somebody's been reading the romances." He twisted his fingers until Zero could _feel_ them circling his prostrate.

"Master…"

"Don't even _try_ , pet," Kaname scolded – and pinched.

Zero _screamed_ a soundless gasp of agonised pleasure, arching up on his pitiful excuse of a bed and spasming.

When Zero came back down to earth, still in the midst of a white-out, he vaguely heard Kaname praising him.

"Beautifully done Zero."

"Gerroff," he rasped.

Kaname kissed him, tenderly the _bastard,_ and Zero was too exhausted to even give him crap over it – and then Zero realised that three fingers had somehow slipped inside him without his knowledge.

"Leech," Zero sighed.

Kaname smirked, eyes ablaze with sheer smugness.

"May I?" he asked again, pulling his fingers free – after one last cheeky scratch inside.

"Be my guest," Zero snarked, shuddering.

Kaname took him at his word, and no sooner than did Zero give him consent was Kaname braced above him, sinking inside, _slowly_ and _carefully_ because Kaname still had the self-control of a fucking monk.

Once he was within reach, Zero dragged Kaname down to him, kissing first his lips – and then tormenting himself by playing with the pureblood's neck, knowing damn well that Kaname would get off on what another level A would kill him for.

Kaname did. He thrust the rest of the way inside Zero in one sharp burst of need, and hammered him with half a dozen more before he regained control, tilting his neck out of Zero's all too limited reach.

"Naughty," Kaname breathed, pupils dilated as far as Zero had ever seen them. "I should punish you for that."

"Yes," Zero agreed frantically, "Yes you should. Come on, I'm _begging_ for it aren't I, master?"

Kaname stopped mid motion and Zero groaned again, letting his legs fall back down, thighs spread wide.

"Reverse psychology?" Kaname sighed. "I suppose if you're coherent enough for that then I'm not trying hard enough."

Zero's pounding heart crept up into his throat in terror.

Before he could form any sort of response, ranging from 'Please more,' to 'please no' and 'reverse psychology, what's that oh my master?' Kaname used his _freaky freaky_ powers on him.

Kaname's shadow was moving – _without Kaname._

Freaky freaky _freaky_.

Thin tendrils of pure night crept up Zero's body, still existing in only two dimensions, but the hunter could _feel_ them, a cool silky touch with just a hint of moisture – as if he'd stroked a petal wet with dew in the hour before dawn.

Except, you know, the petal was touching _him_ and it wasn't being shy about it either.

A black wisp reached up to stroke his face, neck and ears – paying particular attention to his neck because shadow or not it was still _Kaname_ – whilst another string of smokey nothing flicked at his nipples and chest and a _third_ went low, wrapping tightly – how, it was a _shadow_ – around his cock. There was a forth, a fifth and after that he lacked the wit to count.

It felt _insanely_ good, and all the while Kaname watched him, directing his powers without a single outward sign, just those burning eyes in a field of delicious shadows.

#

He came thrice before Kaname relented.

#

"May I move?" Kaname breathed hotly into Zero's ear, fangs out and _sharp_ making tiny little nips all along the edge.

Zero whimpered. He'd never come so intensely before, nor had orgasms on the heels of the last like an endless wave cresting only to rise back up and crash again.

Through it all – Kaname had stayed lodged inside him, but unmoving.

If Zero had _ever_ needed proof of Kaname's inhumanity – that was it.

"Don't get me wrong," Kaname continued, that smug tone of voice settling into Zero's brain like the purr of a particularly contented cat, "feeling you convulse in ecstasy around me is entertaining – but I'd rather like to fuck you raw now."

Zero's body was exhausted – but Kaname was a potent drug. Sure, he felt chafed and shaky, but his mind was already leaping ahead to the next orgasm, and just how _good_ Kaname could make it feel.

"Yes," he breathed, rallying all of his strength to speak. "Kaname – please, I need you."

Kaname shuddered, his cock finally moving a little inside Zero. "Oh yes," the pureblood sighed, "I _love_ it when you whisper sweet nothings to me pet."

The next sentence took no effort what so ever.

"Fuck you."


	19. Chapter 19

A/N - Thank you for all the reviews! I reply to everyone as long as you have an account and accept PMs. I'd love to know what you think of this chapter :)

#

Zero groaned, clutching Kaname closer as the vampire thrust deeply into his body.

Slow seemed to be Kaname's kink tonight, the pureblood simply refused to rush, ravishing Zero patiently and almost too thoroughly, inexorably pushing him closer and closer to bliss.

Except, Zero never quiet got there. The moment Kaname sensed he was close (and the bastard always knew) he would stop and wait, smugly, for Zero to calm down before he staretd again.

Kaname was a cruel, cruel lover.

Client.

Zero casually let one hand drift up Kaname's shoulder to his neck and scratched lightly over the spot he knew drove Kaname wild.

Kaname arched into it for a second, and then grabbed Zero's hand and dragged it up over his head, pinning it down on the mattress.

"Oh no, my dear," he whispered into Zero's ear. "I'm being _good."_

Zero shivered, which did some very interesting things to his body when Kaname was already so far inside him.

"I like it when you're rough," Zero replied urgently, struggling vainly to free his arm and bucking his hips. "You know I do."

Kaname leered. It was an unfairly attractive expression. Zero felt that having to endure a blush of arousal _mid-fuck_ was really pushing his tolerance for his own ridiculous body.

"You complain when I'm rough, you complain when I'm gentle… Zero, you are a very hard vampire to please, unless you just like to bitch?"

He accompanied the final word with a particularly well-aimed thrust, underscoring their relative positions.

" _You're the bitch here,"_ Zero snapped rocking up to chase more of that nerve-searing pleasure, fighting against the press of Kaname's body that kept him captive.

Kaname laughed, and pulled out leaving Zero achingly empty, sliding down Zero's sweat slick body until he could swallow him down.

"If you don't hurry up-" Zero threatened breathlessly, hoping and fearing in the same lust filled fantasy that Kaname planned another three hour long extravaganza down there.

"You'll what?" Kaname asked, sliding off to look up at him, "Delete my number? Refuse my money? Tell me to go?"

Zero hated him.

"I hate you."

He searched around for a threat that would work and failed. The hard truth was that without Kaname, Zero would have been sleeping in a dumpster months ago.

He kept his mouth shut, hating the self-pity.

Surprisingly, his silence seemed to bother Kaname, who returned to pleasuring him with a vengeance. Feeling petty and victorious, Zero remained quiet – refusing to make a sound as Kaname's slick warm mouth engulfed him.

He wondered, with a surge of irrational jealously, who had had the pleasure of Kaname's mouth before him. Who had the pureblood practiced on to get this insufferably good at it?

Oh fuck, Kaname was _really_ good at this.

Zero climbed the golden peak, head thrown back, mouth open in a silent scream as he finally toppled over the edge, pleasure sweeping through him and whiting out his vision for that one perfect moment.

"Lovely. Lets see how long I can keep you there. Now, don't bitch at being too sensitive, I'm just going to -"

Zero really, really hated him.

#

Kaname did eventually tire.

"I _pity_ your Court," Zero mumbled, gingerly rolling over from wet patch to wet patch. God but he ached. It was a good ache – a nice deep throb in every muscle that chorused _fuck yeah –_ but it still ached.

"Why?" Kaname asked, wearing nothing but his shirt, Zero reluctantly (and silently) admitted that it was a very good look for the pureblood. He had _fantastic_ legs.

"They entertain you _all the time,"_ Zero said, not feeling like it was something that had to be explained. He saw Kaname once a month. The other twenty-nine nights the pureblood preyed on his Court to sate his unnatural appetites. They might have a stronger healing factor going for them – but dear god did he pity them.

There was also a vague hint of jealousy, but Zero was sure that was a post-coital hallucination.

"I haven't slept with any of them in months," Kaname said absently, now happily exploring Zero's flat whilst Zero was too fucked out to stop him. "Why do you have twelve cans of beans? You don't even like beans."

"They were on offer and – wait, how do you know I don't like them?"

Kaname ignored him, which was answer enough.

Then the rest of what he said caught up to Zero.

"Wait, what? None of them?"

"No, didn't really feel like it. Honestly Zero, this flat is tiny _and_ in violation of several building code regulations. Who is your landlord again?"

"You already know who he is," Zero's eyes narrowed.

"Whatever your scheming, stop. And _why_ aren't you screwing your Court? I thought that was what the whole thing was for."

Kaname laughed, surprisingly himself with it from the expression Zero read from his face.

"Zero, you are a Hunter," Kaname explained gently, filling Zero's only glass with water and bringing it back to the bed for him in a suspiciously charitable display. "What you know of vampires is…skewed."

He'd clearly struggled to find a polite word there, but Zero graciously let him get away with it, seeing as he _had_ brought him some water for his also-aching throat.

"Explain it to me then."

"They're my…deputies. If I'm in the centre of the web, they are the next layer. They all have political, financial and social roles. Takuma is my right-hand, Ruka is responsible for public relations, Hanabusa leads the R&D – it's all connected. They're my _Court."_ He sounded fond, which was probably the weirdest thing of all.

They were Kuran's minions, slaves and lackies… not his friends, except here Kuran was saying they _were_ just in a weird all-encompassing vampiric way.

"Most people don't mix business with pleasure."

Kaname raised his eyebrow, smirking that smug smile at Zero – and then Zero groaned as he got it.

"Oh for fuck's sake. You know what I meant."

Kaname grinned and tucked a strand of hair behind Zero's ear.

"It wouldn't hurt for you to learn more about your species you know."

"Stop right there," Zero said sharply. "I know _plenty_ about vampires."

"Do you?"

"Blood-sucking leeches, Kuran, blood-sucking leeches. If the Hunter's didn't exist, you'd enslave humanity completely."

He was mostly trying to piss Kaname off, and vent a little of his own rage. He may not have been a proper Hunter, but he'd done his fair share of missions and had the nightmares to prove it. Vampires were… animals.

And Kuran laughed about it.

"Wait," he said, calming down, "You actually believe that don't you?"

"I've got the scars to prove it, Kaname. It's not a belief, its just fact. I'm not accusing you of anything, but you are what you are." Zero shrugged, settling the sheet around him. He didn't want to be an asshole to his best paying client, but vampires were not innocent little lambs, and they both knew it.

"Zero, think logically," Kaname said flatly, losing his relaxed, post-fuck, demeanour and reaching for his trousers. "A few thousand Hunters," and he gave that word a right sneer as he threaded his belt through the loops, "are nothing compared to the millions of vampires that live in this world. If we wanted _your_ _kind_ out the way, it wouldn't take me an afternoon."

"Are you actually offended right now?" Zero interrupted – amused and a tad concerned, not that he'd ever admit to the last.

Kaname snorted. "You don't have the power to offend me." He didn't need to glance at Zero's shabby apartment for the point to land. "I have no intention of listening to ignorance, I get enough of that at work. When you've pulled your head out of your arse, I might consider fucking it again." Zero accepted the second hit without blinking.

The pureblood pulled his shoes on, tossed a few notes at his head, and left.

Well fuck.


	20. Chapter 20

At the sight of the money, Zero realised he hadn't even mentioned a price to Kaname.

Fuck. That wasn't good. He was letting himself get distracted. This was not a relationship. It was about the money. Pure and simple.

Speaking of, Zero clambered gingerly out of bed – irritated at having to waste their warmth – to pick them up off the floor and count.

Apparently Kaname had thought their fuck was worth four hundred. Good enough. He straightened out the notes and folded them carefully into his tin in the hidey-hole. He had enough for another month's rent now, with some leftover for next month.

It was going to have to last. Zero knew he wouldn't be seeing Kaname again. Which was… not good.

Shit.

Zero sat on the messy bed and cursed his stupidity. He should have kept his mouth shut. He knew better. He _never_ chatted this much with anyone else, which was half the problem wasn't it?

Zero's closest friend was Hotaru these days. And conversation with him varied from pointless to painful.

Kaname had been different. He was… human. Eugh. Whatever. He'd talked to Zero like he was an equal. An equal he wanted to fuck and tease – but he'd never treated Zero like he wasn't worth the gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe. Zero hadn't been getting much of that lately. He'd latched on. Like a fucking _needy idiot._

He'd been too casual with the John. Given too much of himself away to a fucking pure blooded vampire who didn't give a shit.

And now he'd lost his best customer.

Fuck.

#

Zero didn't have much pride left to him, so he did genuinely think about apologising for the full half hour it took of standing on the corner to get his next customer.

After his little pity fest, he'd gone right back out there. No time to waste. If Kaname wasn't coming around again, Zero needed every night to make the rent.

Fucking Mashiro.

Four hundred and fifty a month for an extremely tired apartment – if he was being polite about it – was extortionate.

"You OK?"

Zero spared Hotaru a smile, the other D was not looking so hot.

"I will be. Mashiro's put the rent up again."

Hotaru snorted.

"What did I tell you? You had to go and make it a challenge. Fuck him already."

Zero growled.

"No, I won't and he said he didn't want me anymore so I can't even let him have me for the room."

"He's playing hard to get. Wants you to _need_ it. Make an appointment to see him, get all teary eyed and he'll bend you over the desk before you know it."

Zero grunted, which meant fuck no, a fact Hotaru knew well.

"Fine, don't take my advice. I'll save you a spot in the old cinema for when he kicks you out. The water's still connected and everything. It'll be fun."

Joy.

#

Pretending to be out of breath, Zero groaned a little as he stretched; new customer, always best to stroke the ego a little.

"Hey can I have your number? I want to see you again."

Success.

"I'm always at that corner – oh, wait, yeah, hang on."

He reached over the side of the mattress for his jeans; digging the phone Kaname had given him out of the pocket. It took him a moment to work out his own number, but then he had it and received the man's number in return. He said his name was John, but Zero entered the contact details as LitDicHotel so that he'd actually remember the guy if the man ever rang.

He knew way too many Johns.

'John' took the first shower, Zero spared a thought to hope the man wouldn't use the little bottle of shampoo Zero fully intended to acquire later when the idea struck him.

He looked down at his phone.

Kaname's leash and lure, yeah, that was _still_ irritating, but also, maybe, a business opportunity?

Hadn't he just been moaning that winter meant less business? If he had a number, then couldn't he advertise?

Zero went immediately for the hotel stationary by the phone (which he was also going to take with him when left if he didn't get kicked out first) and thought about it.

Notes in telephone booths and men's bathrooms seemed so _skeevy_. Then again, the alternative was to grovel to Kuran – another fucking pureblooded vampire and apologise for saying the truth.

Yeah, no.

How to advertise yourself? What the fuck did you even put? Desperate and willing? Deepthroater level 99? Cheap?

In the end, he settled for something vague. A brief description, an innocuous sentence or two that screamed prostitute and then he flipped the page round, ripped ten little tags that people could tear off and copied out his number on all of them.

It wasn't much, but it was a start.

John reappeared from the bathroom, dressing he said, "I'm heading off, see you later."

Zero summoned a smile for him – not difficult as the hotel was paid through the night and included breakfast – and waved him off.

Then he took his own shower and promptly started acquiring all the complimentary goodies he could.

#

The next day, after he'd eaten his fill at the buffet breakfast and stuffed a napkin full of sausages up either sleeve, he went around town, sticking his little notes in likely places.

That very night he got his first call.

Zero smiled as he headed out. Screw you Kaname. I don't need you.

#

A/N: If you have a moment, I'd like to know your thoughts.


	21. Chapter 21

"Yeah hi, do you do BDSM?"

Zero swallowed a sigh.

"Yes, it's extra and depends on what specifically you want to do."

"I, er, yeah, I'll get back to you." The guy hung up.

The downsides of advertising; useless calls and abusive texts.

Zero eyed the run down hotel his new John had specified, weighing the probabilities and doing a quick safety assessment. Cheap hotel could mean low funds (not good) or a desire for anonymity (standard) but coupled with the requested kink (also BDSM) leant towards shame which could end up as very not good.

On the other hand, money.

Well, that settled it. Zero switched his phone to silent, marched in, picked up his key from a distinctly unimpressed receptionist and resigned himself to an unpleasant hour or two.

It got bad quickly.

Zero eyed the man as he fumbled with the handcuffs.

"You're new at this." It was not a question, and the other chap's blushes were answer enough.

"Shut the fuck up," he snapped. "I'm not paying you to talk."

"Hey it's alright," Zero soothed automatically, letting the insult roll off his back. "Want me to walk you through the basics?"

He got a backhand to the face for his efforts. Being a vampire, it wasn't too bad for Zero, the worst bit was that he could see it coming, but was too tied up to dodge.

Humiliating to a Hunter, but what wasn't in this life of his?

"Shut the fuck up!" The new guy screamed in his face. Zero blinked, and stayed quiet as he was roughly fondled and then fucked with a few more hits in for good measure.

Irritating, but not dangerous, and the cash was already on the desk, so…

Throughout it all, the only thing Zero could think of was that Kaname would _never_ have reacted like that.

He was so very fucked.

#

"Zero-kun? Oh Zero-kun? Are you awake?"

Groaning against the sunlight, Zero struggled upright, desperately glad he'd gone to bed – a grand total of forty five minutes ago – fully dressed. He might have collapsed face first into the blankets, but at least Mashiro wasn't getting an eyeful.

"You're early," Zero grunted, blearily locating Mashiro who had once again let himself into Zero's apartment.

"Day or night, it's still the end of the month, and you know what that means."

"Does it mean that you're giving me one less night to work from now on?" Zero asked wryly even as he stumbled upright to pull Mashiro's money out of the cupboard he'd stashed it in when he'd staggered inside.

"I don't know what you mean," Mashiro lied as he counted out the notes. "Well well, four-fifty. Well done, Zero."

"Waiting for the night you can kick me out?"

"I just like my money Zero. If you can't pay, someone else will. See you soon – and you should take better care of yourself. You're looking a bit peaky."

Zero glared at the door.

Kaname hadn't visited this month. He'd scraped together that money in dribs and drabs. _Peaky_ was the least of it – and all for thirty more nights grace.

He sighed, and went back to bed.

#

His luck couldn't hold out forever. As much as Zero hated it, there were plenty of Hunters in Tokyo and they were as human as the next guy.

It would help if Zero had known the man was a Hunter _before_ he was balls deep inside of him, but when was fate ever _not_ a bitch?

Good news; if the Hunter was so weak, Zero couldn't recognise him until they were skin to skin then there was no chance the John knew he was fucking a vampire.

And they'd said _he_ wasn't good enough. Fucking hypocrites.

"You don't seem very into this," the John complained, "am I not hitting the spot?"

Bad news: he was the sort of guy that wanted his whores to like it.

"Bit to the left," Zero replied, knowing that would work far better than the traditional 'oh my god, yes yes yes.'

The John grunted and did in fact shift over so Zero moaned a little in encouragement, gripping onto the John's forearms and rocking into it.

It wasn't bad per se, but he couldn't exactly compare to Kaname… and Zero groaned aloud in frustration ignoring how it made his client thrust faster in favour of cursing himself.

Zero had sworn to himself that he'd stop doing that, but nope, his stupid brain just had to go there.

Fucking pureblood.

Once the John was done, he rolled over and went to sleep. Zero stared in disbelief for a full minute before carefully extracting himself.

What sort of flipping _idiot_ would sleep with a stranger in the house? On the other hand – opportunity.

Zero wasn't a thief, but as this John was supposed to be a Hunter…there would be books.

Maybe he could finally get Kaname out of his freaking mind.

#

There were books. Even better, there was a computer fully loaded with access to the Hunter's secret databases and archives – and this colossal idiot had let the computer save his password.

And then Zero just browsed, keeping an ear out for any change in heartbeat that might suggest his host was waking up.

He looked up incident reports, researched the names of active hunters, safe house locations and history.

He didn't like what he found.

#

Zero could admit when he was wrong. He hated doing it, because _Kaname,_ but it would be worse to stay silent in pride. Who knew? If he kept on that way and lived long enough he'd probably end up like the jerks at the Association.

 _I'm sorry._ He texted. _I was wrong._


	22. Chapter 22

Trudging home, aching from another amateur hour of bad BDSM etiquette and no fucking idea of how rope knots actually worked, Zero could only sigh with relief when he unlocked his door and was finally 'safe' for another day.

He'd showered at the motel (luke warm water, but at least it was free) so he limped over to his hidden stores of cash, putting a few notes into each. At least if he was ever robbed, the thieves (or Mashiro, more likely) probably wouldn't find more than one stash.

Three days to go, and he'd already paid for next month's rent and bills. Everything extra he earned was pure savings; that phone had proved it's worth.

Now, if only it hadn't been a gift from Kaname.

Zero changed and collapsed onto his bed. Perhaps an extra blanket could be his first non-essential purchase since this mess began? That would be nice.

Kaname had made love to him in this bed.

Zero's eyes shot open and he groaned, stuffing his face into the pillow to muffle the noise.

Kaname Kaname Kaname – the pureblood was consuming his thoughts and it was all that rat bastard's fault. Fucking him here (fucking, not the other thing) had been a ploy. Zero couldn't even walk over his floor without remembering how he'd been on his knees just _there_ and Kaname had pushed him against the wall just _there_ and he'd touched that counter and rummaged through those draws and _made love to him on this bed._

Fucking pureblood. Zero knew, now, that being gentle had nothing to do with Zero's poorly timed sarcasm and everything to do with fucking with his head.

The scum-gargling _toad._

#

* * *

The next day, Zero opened the door to his flat and found said toad lying on his bed, reading a book, and wearing nothing but his open shirt and boxers.

Zero groaned and would have walked right back out the door again and left Kaname in there, except his ever-vigilant eye had caught sight of the envelope stuffed full of cash on the bedside table.

Was it his imagination, or was that pile bigger than normal?

Well, no-one would ever accuse him of being a coward, and he knew which side of his bread was buttered.

Zero shut and locked the door behind him, toed his shoes off and determinedly went to the kitchenette. He needed _at least_ one cup of tea before he could deal with Kaname's oh so twisted mind.

His last client had wanted _puppy-play._ Why the fuck did he always get the weird ones? He was never going to look at a fucking leash and collar the same way ever again, and the less he thought about _dog bowls_ and _treats_ the better.

He opened his cabinet, and found an unknown blend of tea sitting in a ridiculous canister, on top of his own (now squashed) box.

Kaname _could not_ predict the future. Kaname _could not_ read his mind. Zero repeated that to himself, silently, three times before he sighed, got down the fancy canister and made two cups of tea with it, idly mulling over the symbolism of the squashed box. The cupboard had been otherwise empty, so…

With a supressed sigh, he delivered Kaname his tea, noting that the pureblood's aura was completely muffled – thank fuck - and went over to his window, pointedly staring out of it as he sipped his tea. It was delicious with delicate notes of jasmine, which pissed him off.

He finished it slowly, cheerfully ignoring the pureblood until he'd swallowed the last dregs.

Point thoroughly made, he turned to Kaname and said, "Well?"

"Use your words, Zero," Kaname replied, turning a page.

Zero snarled.

"Why are you here and what the hell do you fucking well want?"

"You and you," Kaname lowered the book to smirk over the top before raising it and carrying on reading.

Zero stalked over and grabbed the fucking thing, tossing it over his shoulder.

Kaname was still smirking, but his hands darted out in a flash and dragged Zero down onto the bed, right on top of him until he was straddling the other vampire.

Zero settled into place, knowing he couldn't match Kaname's strength, and raised a cool eyebrow instead.

"Use your words."

Kaname's eyes narrowed.

"I'd like you to come and stay with me for a few nights."

Zero opened his mouth to tell the pureblood where he could stuff it, but Kaname put a finger over his lips.

"I am aware of your objections. Now hear my reasons."

Zero rolled his eyes and nodded. Kaname removed the finger.

"I'm in serious negotiations with another Court for business purposes. Traditionally, we exchange gifts at the end of a deal like this. It's highly likely that Fujiwara will offer me one of his well-trained pets."

Zero snorted. He'd met Fujiwara's ex-pets. He wouldn't exactly call them _well trained._

"Yes, I know you're familiar with his cast-off's. Rejecting the gift, or not properly appreciating it, is a bad idea for many reasons. Fujiwara and I had some personal disagreements a few years ago, so he is well aware of my distaste for the practice of D's which is exactly why he's going to force one on me."

"And I fit into this, where?"

"If I already have a pet, not only is his gift redundant – a big no – but it won't be any fun for him."

"Ah ha! So it's _not_ just a dirty weekend. You want me to act as your fucking pet. And it's not going to work if no one knows… so it won't be private."

Kaname smiled winningly, "but it will be well compensated."

"I don't want a reputation as your whore, Kaname."

The eyebrow was back.

"Do I or do I not pay you for sex, Zero?"

Zero refused to flinch. If he was Kaname's whore – he was his _only_ whore, and the pureblood did nothing without reason.

"Do you remember a conversation where you said if anyone found out we were fucking they'd use me against you? Because I remember that conversation. Now don't pout," Zero added, amused at Kaname's expression, "I'll still let you stick it in me for cash. In private, like here, and now," he rocked his hips meaningfully, enjoying how Kaname twitched with supressed reaction.

"What did you find at Ken's house that made you apologise?"

Zero froze, fuck, he thought they'd had a silent agreement not to talk about this anymore.

"Who?"

"The Hunter who you let fuck you a week ago."

"You sound jealous," Zero accused, playing for time.

"I am."

Zero sailed coolly past that, refusing to acknowledge it. He wasn't a Hunter anymore; let someone else have to deal with ridiculous purebloods.

"Still spying on me?"

"Now who's forgotten? You belonged to Shizuka. I killed Shizuka. Victor, spoils, etcetera. You are mine. It's not spying, merely a duty of care."

"Then watch over me as I walk out the door," Zero snarled, getting up.

He made it about three inches before Kaname's grip tightened to bone-breaking and he knew he wasn't going anywhere without an argument.

"If you aren't there as a distraction Fujiwara will give me some painfully young teenager to rape instead. They'll have been bitten solely to give to me, Zero."

Kaname still knew him far too well.

There was no way he could refuse now, not knowing he'd spare a kid this fucked up fate.

"How much are you offering?"

He'd do it for free, but Kaname would pay a lot to soothe his wounded pride, and Zero was mercenary enough to take it.

"Before we discuss price, I want you to know exactly what you're getting into."

It was Zero's turn to silence Kaname with a finger over those lovely lips.

"As you pointed out, I am a whore. I keep the company of many other whores, most of whom are D's. Let's just take it as read that I know _exactly_ what a pet does, and how they act."

Oh the stories he could tell…fucking purebloods. He might have been ignorant and speciest to Kaname earlier, but humans couldn't _change_ you as a pureblooded vampire could and did.

Kaname caressed the side of his neck.

"Do not become hysterical," Kaname ordered, "A bite mark would make this act much more believable."

He was too irritated about _hysterical_ to be frightened – fucking pureblood being all manipulative again, damn him to a celibate hell.

Unable to resist, Zero let his expression become thoughtful, considering, with more than a touch of hesitation because Kaname would expect to see that.

As the silence drew out, the pureblood went rigid beneath him, and Zero knew _Kaname_ well enough to know he'd locked himself down to control his reaction.

Yeah, the vampire was fucking desperate for it, wasn't he? It was flattering, disturbing, and empowering. Zero knew that if he put his blood on the bargaining table, Kaname would roll over for it.

Kaname was no more led by his fangs than his cock though, so if the pureblood wanted it that badly, there was a hidden something there bound to thoroughly screw Zero over. Perhaps if Ken – his real name apparently – called him again, Zero would have another look in the library.

"Could you bite me without tasting my blood?"

Kaname shivered and Zero bit back his smile.

"So cruel, Zero."

Zero rocked his hips again, pointedly, and felt how Kaname had hardened within the last thirty seconds.

"I would be able to resist your blood," Kaname gasped, rocking up into Zero, "but there would be traces on my fangs, even if I wiped them first."

"Traces enough to know any of my emotions, or memories?" He prodded, grinding down.

Kaname swore, and flipped them over, yanking at Zero's belt and tugging his jeans off in one smooth pull.

Zero shoved his foot against Kaname's chest, halting the other, even as he leaned back, undulating as he settled into his sheets. Taunting Kaname never got old.

"Not until we discuss price, Kaname."

The pureblood scowled, which immediately cheered Zero up. Then Kaname's lascivious gaze fell onto the friction burns on his ankle.

Zero hastily took his foot away – but not fast enough. Kaname caught him gently by the same ankle, and inspected the marks. Then his eyes found the marks higher up and his lust cooled visibly. Zero tried not to be offended, but…

"You let someone else tie you up?"

"Hey, if you don't want sloppy seconds, you shouldn't have come to a whore."

Kaname ground his fangs.

"Will you let me heal you?"

"Healing the marks won't mean it didn't happen, Kaname. You have no right to be jealous, if you can't handle my profession, you need to leave."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Zero smiled grimly, accepting the threat.

"Payment up front then. Let's say two hundred if you're done by five, that's five this morning by the way, and another hundred for every hour after."

"There's two grand in that envelope. I want you now, and then I want you to come home with me. You're going to suck me off in the car and then stay with me for the next three days and two nights. You will do whatever I ask in order to keep Fujiwara on the back foot. I will bring you back no later than noon on the thirty-first. Deal?"

Zero sighed. "Anyone ever tell you how bossy you are? Fine, deal."

* * *

A/N: - Does that sound ominious at all?


End file.
